UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


HINTS 

TO 

COMMON  SCHOOL  TEACHERS, 

PARENTS  AND  PUPILS; 

OR 

GLEANINGS    FROM 

SCHOOL-LITE  EXPEEIENCE. 


BT 

HIRAM  ORCUTT,  A.  M., 

PRINCIPAL    OF  NORTH  GRANVILLE  LADIES'    SEMINARY. 


"  Teaching  a  Science  —  The  Teacher  an  Artist," 


REVISED  EDITION. 


RUTLAND: 
GEO.  A.  TUTTLE  &  COMPANY. 

BKOWN,  TAGGARD  &  CHASE,  BOSTON. 
1859. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1859,  by 

HIRAM  OKCUTT, 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  court  for  the  Northern  District 
of  New  York. 


Education 
liWmry 


10 


TO 
THE  HUNDEEDS  OF  HIS  PUPILS, 

WHO,  AS  PRACTICAL  TEACHERS,  HAVE  DONE  HONOR 
•TO  THE  PROFESSION, 

THIS  LITTLE  VOLUME  IS  RESPECTFULLY  INSCRIBED 

I  BY  THEIR  FAITHFUL  FRIEND  AND  FORMER 

TEACHER  —  THE    AUTHOR. 


PREFACE. 

THIS  little  book  had  its  origin  in  EXPERIENCE. 
It  was  not,  originally,  written  with  a  view  to  publi- 
cation but  for  the  benefit  of  the  Author's  Normal 
Classes.  The  substance  of  these  chapters  has  been 
recently  published  in  the  form  of  newspaper  articles 
for  the  benefit  of  those  employed  in  Teaching  Dis- 
trict Schools  in  this  vicinity.  It  is  now  republished 
in  a  more  permanent  form,  by  the  solicitation  of 
Teachers  and  friends,  and  with  the  hope  of  aiding 
the  less  experienced  in  the  arduous  and  noble  work 
of  school-keeping.  The  Author  does  not  aim  to 
discuss,  at  length,  the  subjects  here  treated,  but  to 
present  to  the  reader  just  what  the  title  page  indi- 
cates, some  "  Gleanings  "  from  twenty  years'  experi- 
ence, or  pi*actical  "Hints"  as  to  the  management 
and  instruction  of  "Common  Schools,"  and  the 
duties  of  Teachers,  Parents  and  Pupils. 

NOBTH  GRANVILLE,  K  Y.,  Aug.  15, 1858. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  ENLARGED  EDITION. 

A  NEW  edition  of  the  "Gleanings"  has  been 
called  for  much  earlier  than  was  expected ;  yet,  a 
a  revision  is  undertaken  with  cheerfulness  and  hope, 
in  view  of  the  marked  favor  with  which  the  first 
edition  has  been  received.  The  Author  acknowl- 
edges that  the  book  was  too  small  to  allow  him  to 
do  justice  to  the  important  subjects  treated ;  too 
small  for  the  price  which  the  Publishers  were 
obliged  to  charge  for  it.  To  remove  these  objec- 
tions, the  work  has  been  enlarged  one-half — from 
72  to  144  pages  —  and  a  large  edition  is  published. 
Though  containing  twice  as  much  reading  matter, 
it  will  be  sold  for  the  same.  The  book  has  been 
rewritten  and  one  entirely  new  chapter  (upon  Study 
and  Recitation)  inserted,  which,  it  is  believed,  will 
greatly  enhance  its  value. 

The  Author  has  not  departed  from  his  original 
plan  in  the  present  edition ;  the  book  will  still  be 
found  concise  and  eminently  practical,  containing 


VI.  PREFACE. 

more  of  thought  than  discussion,  more  of  sugges- 
tion than  argument.  The  "  Hints "  are  designed 
for  three  distinct  classes,  viz.:  Teachers,  Parents  and 
Pupils,  yet  all  are  inclosed  in  one  volume.  The 
whole  book  is  intended  for  each  class,  and  is  as  appro- 
priate and  important  for  one  as  the  other.  Each 
should  know  all  that  has  been  said  to  the  others,  as 
their  relations  are  mutual  and  their  interests  insep- 
arable. 

Grateful  for  the  favor  shown  his  former  efforts, 
the  Author  again  submits  this  little  volume  to  those 
for  whom  it  was  written,  anxious  only  that  it  may 
aid  in  promoting  the  cause  of  Common  School 
Education. 

The  Author  exceedingly  regrets  to  notice  that  a 
few  errors  remain  in  the  book  unconnected. 

MARCH  1, 1859. 


CONTENTS. 

i. 

IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  TEACHER'S  WORK,    -    -         9 

II. 
HIS  NECESSARY  QUALIFICATIONS, 18 

III. 
SCHOOL  MANAGEMENT, 33 

IV. 
SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE, 50 

V. 
SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION, 64 

VI. 
STUDY  AND  RECITATION, 89 

VII. 
CONCLUDING  REMARKS  TO  TEACHERS,   -    -    -      119 

VIII. 

OUR  "COMMON  SCHOOLS,"— TO  PARENTS  AND 
PUPILS, 130 


I. 

IMPORTANCE  OF  TEACHERS'  WORK, 

THE  great  Sculptor,  Hiram  Powers,  has  just 
completed  the  bust  of  the  distinguished  Edward 
Everett,  which  is  said  to  be  unsurpassed  by  any 
artist,  either  in  ancient  or  modern  times.  Yet, 
how  much  greater  the  work  and  more  distin- 
guished the  artist  who  aided  in  forming  the  mind 
and  character  of  that  same  Everett,  now  acknowl- 
edged to  be  the  greatest  living  orator.  When  but 
ten  years  old,  young  Everett  sat  before  Daniel 
Webster  and  received  from  him,  as  his  teacher, 
the  rudiments  of  education.  More  than  half 
a  century  afterwards,  when  both  teacher  and 
pupil  had  attained  the  most  distinguished  honors 
and  the  highest  position  among  their  fellow  men, 
the  one  having  passed  off  the  stage  of  life,  leav- 
ing the  other  without  a  li ving  superior,  the  pupil 

sat  for  his  bust  before  the  artist  Powers. 
2 


10  THE  TEACHER'S  WORK. 

And  to  whom  shall  we  award  the  praise  ?  To 
the  Artist  or  the  Teacher  ?  to  the  distinguished 
Powers,  or  the  immortal  Webster  and  his  co- 
laborers  in  the  work  of  education  ?  We  may 
admire  the  genius  and  skill  of  him  who  has  taken 
the  rude  block  of  marble,  cold  from  the  quarry, 
and  converted  it  into  an  almost  breathing  statue. 
Ages  will  venerate  him ;  time  will  pay  him  a 
tribute  of  respect ;  poesy  will  proudly  rear  a 
tablet  to  his  memory,  and  history  will  adorn  her 
pages  with  his  eulogy. 

The  Painter,  who  represents  on  canvas  the 
beautiful  creation  of  his  own  imagination,  or  the 
striking  events  of  story,  rears  a  monument  to 
his  own  memory  that  will1  long  endure  and  con- 
tinue to  rise  in  loftier  majesty  and  more  fit  pro- 
portions, from  generation  to  generation. 

Still,  how  insignificant  the  work  of  the  Artist 
when  compared  with  that  of  the  true  Teacher. 
The  one  works  upon  stone  or  the  canvas,  the 
other  upon  the  undying  spirit ;  the  one  creates 
the  form  and  figure  of  the  lifeless  body,  the 
other  moulds  the  living  character  of  the  hero, 


THE  TEACHER'S  WORK.  11 

statesman  and  sage.  The  Artist  attracts  atten- 
tion as  a  man  of  genius,  and  his  works  are 
admired  as  evidence  of  inimitable  skill ;  but  the 
memory  of  the  faithful  Teacher  will  be  cherished 
with  gratitude  Avhen  all  earthly  distinctions  shall 
be  forgotten,  and  the  results  of  his  labors  will 
endure  forever. 

His  material  is  no  rude  earthly  substance  to 
be  fashioned  by  the  chisel,  or  made  to  glow  with 
animation  by  the  pencil.  It  is  his  to  mould  the 
MIND,  that  emanation  from  Deity  which,  when 
developed,  constitutes  the  intellect,  the  affections 
and  the  will ;  which  denies  relationship  to  any 
thing  earthly,  and  claims  kindred  with  the  skies, 
and  which,  when  all  material  forms  shall  decay, 
will  continue  to  live  and  to  glow  in  the  brightness 
of  progressive  immortality.  What  then  is  the 
Sculptor's  or  Painter's  art  compared  with  his  ? 
It  is  the  Teacher's  business  to  form  the  intellect, 
not  to  fashion  a  stone ;  to  guide  the  affections, 
not  the  pencil ;  to  stimulate  conscience  and  give 
energy  to  will,  not  merely  to  make  the  lifeless 
eye  speak  in  a  group  of  figures,  or  the  graces 


12  THE  TEACHER'S  WORK. 

sit  enthroned  on  a  marble  brow.  In  a  word,  it 
is  his  to  educate  the  human  soul  and  fit  it  for  its 
noble  designs  and  destiny.  From  the  canvas 
upon  which  he  paints,  no  impression  can  be 
erased ;  good  or  evil,  truth  or  error,  virtue  or 
vice,  it  must  ever  remain.  How  important  then 
the  Teacher's  work ! 

The  Warrior,  the  Statesman  and  the  Scholar, 
claim  also  a  share  of  the  world's  homage.  And 
may  we  erect  triumphal  arches  (to  our  own 
Washington,  who  led  our  armies  victorious  over 
the  slaughtered  hosts  of  their  enemies,  and 
afterwards  presided  in  our  public  Councils  ? 
May  we  institute  a  great  national  festival,  whose 
annual  return  is  celebrated  by  bells,  bonfires, 
illuminations  and  public  rejoicings  in  view  of  the 
great  work  which  our  hero  and  statesman  has 
accomplished  ?  May  we  purchase  "  Mount 
Vernon,"  that  the  great  name  of  the  "  Father 
of  our  Country,"  may  be  forever  associated  with 
the  home 'of  his  manhood,  and  that  a  mighty 
Nation  may  water  his  tomb  with  their  grateful 
tears  through  all  coming  time  ?  It  is  well  to  do 


THE  TEACHER'S  WORK.  13 

so.  But  what  avail  the  victories  of  our  revolu- 
tion or  our  dear  bought  freedom  ?  What  avail 
to  rear  monuments  and  consecrate  public  grounds 
to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  our  great  national 
struggle  and  of  the  warriors  and  statesmen 
whom  we  delight  to  honor,  if  the  School  be  not 
established  and  the  Teacher  employed  to  prepare 
the  people  for  the  enjoyment  and  preservation 
of  our  liberties  ?  Self-government  is  not  possi- 
ble without  intelligence  and  virtue.  Hence, 
great  statesmen  and  victorious  armies  are  of 
little  value  in  any  country,  without  efficient 
Teachers.  Indeed,  the  Teacher  has  ever  been 
the  patron  of  society.  To  him  has  been  com- 
mitted the  work  of  training  the  mind  and  forming 
the  character  of  each  generation  of  American 
citizens,  and  at  a  period  when  the  most  suscep- 
tible of  durable  impressions.  And  our  future 
citizens  and  rulers  are  now  under  his  care  and 
instruction.  Their  moral  and  intellectual  char- 
acter must  be  moulded  chiefly  by  his  hand.  To 
our  Common  Schools,  we  must  look  for  those 
who  will  soon  be  called^mpon  to  manage  the 


14  THE  TEACHER'S  WORK. 

affairs  of  families,  to  transact  the  business  of 
town  and  state,  to  fill  the  vacated  Bench  of 
Justice,  to  sit  in  the  Halls  of  Legislation,  and 
to  direct  and  control  the  Church  of  God. 

Upon  the  character  of  our  Schools  and  Teach- 
ers, therefore,  depends  the  weal  or  woe  of  unborn 
millions. ;  the  prosperity  or  downfall  of  our 
boasted  Institutions. 

And  if,  as.  some  one  has  told  us,  "  to'educate 
a  child  perfectly  requires  profounder  thought, 
greater  wisdom  than  to  conquer  an  Empire  or 
govern  a  State,"  what  place  among  the  honored 
of  our  nation  and  the  benefactors  of  our  race, 
shall  we  assign  to  the  efficient  Teacher?  May 
the  profound  schofar,  who  retires  from  the  strifes 
and  conflicts  of  life  and  spends  his  strength  for 
the  public  weal,  win  from  us  his  mead  of  praise  ? 
And  shall  we  not  honor  him  also  who  consecrates 
himself  to  the  great  work  of  cultivating  mind 
and  training  American  citizens  for  their  peculiar 
duties  and  responsibilities  ? 

The  late  Dr.  Channing  once  said,  "  One  of 
the  surest  signs  of  the  regeneration  of  society. 


THE  TEACHER'S  WORK.  15 

will  be  the  elevation  of  tlie  art  of  teaching  to 
the  highest  rank  in  the  community.  When  a 
people  shall  learn  that  its  greatest  benefactors 
and  most  important  members  are  men  devoted 
to  the  liberal  instruction  of  all  its  classes,  to  the 
work  of  raising  to  life  its  buried  intellect,  it  will 
have  opened  to  itself  the  path  of  true  glory. 
Socrates  is  now  regarded  the  greatest  man  in  an  • 
age  of  great  men.  To  teach,  whether  byword 
or  action,  is  the  greatest  function  on  earth." 

There  is  another  view  of  our  subject  which 
magnifies  the  Teacher's  work  still  more.  Teach- 
ing is  the  source  of  our  most  valuable  attainments 
and  greatest  blessings.  Who  does  not  owe  a 
debt  of  gratitude  to  the  Teacher?  Look  on  the 
favored  portions  of  our  country,  and  ask  whence 
the  general  intelligence,  virtue,  order  and  hap- 
piness that  characterize  the  people  ?  whence 
these  countless  privileges,  innumerable  sources 
of  enjoyment  and  thousands  of  smiling,  happy 
homes  that  meet  our  eye  ?  Do  they  not  all 
emanate  from  our  Schools  ?  Are  they  not  the 
result  of  Teaching  ? 


16  THE  TEACHER'S  WORK. 

•"We  are  accustomed  to  look  with  pride  upon 
the  noble  phalanx  of  educated  men  and  women 
who  have  done  so  much  to  elevate  and  honor 
our  country.  Our  Editors,  Authors,  Orators 
and  Statesmen  have  an  imposing  character  and 
commanding  influence ;  our  professional  men 
are  distinguished  for  learning,  skill  and  ability, 
and  many  of  them  have  gained  a  world  wide 
and  enduring  reputation.  But  are  not  all  these 
the  workmanship  of  the  Teacher  ?  The  com- 
parative importance  of  the  Teacher's  work  will 
be  best  illustrated  by  the  following  fable : 

"  When  Jupiter  offered  the  prize  of  immor- 
tality to  him  who  was  the  most  useful  to  mankind, 
the  court  of  Olympus  was  crowded  with  com- 
petitors. The  warrior  boasted  of  his  patriotism, 
but  Jupiter  thundered  ;  the  rich  man  boasted  of 
his  munificence,  and  Jupiter  showed  him  the 
widow's  mite ;  the  pontiff  held  up  the  keys  of 
heaven,  and  Jupiter  pushed  the  doors  wide  open ; 
the  painter  boasted  of  his  power  to  give  life  to 
inanimate  canvas,  and  Jupiter  breathed  aloud  in 
derision ;  the  Sculptor  boasted  of  making  gods 


THE  TEACHER'S  WORK.  17 

that  contended  with  the  immortals  for  human 
homage,  Jupiter  frowned ;  the  orator  boasted  of 
his  power  to  sway  the  nation  with  his  voice,  and 
Jupiter  marshaled  the  obedient  host  of  heaven 
with  a  word ;  the  poet  spoke  of  his  power  to 
move  even  the  gods  by  praise,  Jupiter  blushed  ; 
the  musician  claimed  to  practice  the  only  human 
science  that  had  been  transplanted  to  heaven, 
Jupiter  hesitated  ;  when  seeing  a  venerable  man 
looking  with  intense  interest  upon  the  group  of 
competitors  but  presenting  no  claims,  '  What  art 
thou  ? '  said  the  benignant  monarch.  '  Only  a 
spectator,'  replied  the  gray  headed  sage  ;  '  all 
these  were  my  pupils.'  '  Crown  him,  crown  liimj 
said  Jupiter  ;  '  crown  the  faithful  Teacher  with 
immortality,  and  make  room  for  him  at  my  right 
hand!'" 


II. 

HIS  NECESSARY  QUALIFICATIONS. 

MORE  depends  upon  what  the  Teacher  z's, 
than  upon  what  he  does.  Like  the  poet,  he  is 
endowed  bj  nature  with  the  most  important 
qualifications  for  his  work,  nascitur  non  fit. 
This  natural  talent  may  be  cullivated  but  can 
not  be  created  by  education. 

The  true  Teacher  has  a  large  share  of  common 
sense,  or  as  some  would  call  it,  good  judgment. 
This  is  practical  wisdom — a  sort  of  instinct  as 
to  the  fitness  and  propriety  of  things.  It  teaches 
its  possessor  to  do  the  right  thing  at  the  right 
time.  It  acts  in  the  real  and  not  in  the  roman- 
tic world,  and  adapts  one  to  circumstances,  to 
society  and  to  duty. 

There  are  many  opportunities  for  its  exercise 
in  the  school-room  ;  many  instances  when  the 
want  of  it  imperils  the  Teacher,  or  proves  his 


NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS.  19 

ruin.  A  question  of  political  or  judicial  economy 
is  about  to  be  settled  in  his  little  empire  ;  he  has 
no  time  for  consultation  with  older  and  more 
experienced  teachers ;  no  time  to  read  books  on 
the  "  Theory  and  Practice  of  Teaching ;"  the 
question  must  be  settled  without  delay ;  the 
existence  of  his  authority,  and  his  destiny  as  a 
teacher,  depends  upon  prompt  and  judicious 
action.  Under  such  circumstances,  sound  com- 
mon sense  is  the  teacher's  only  security. 

The  successful  Teacher  has  an  earnest  devo- 
tion to  his  work.  The  employment  is  congenial 
to  his  tastes  ;  he  has  a  natural  love  for  the  office 
for  its  own  sake  ;  the  detail  of  school-room  life 
is  pleasant ;  intercourse  Avith  the  pupils,  a  social 
and  intellectual  gratification ;  teaching  an  agree- 
able exercise,  and  the  consciousness  of  having 
contributed  to  the  intellectual  and  moral  good 
of  the  young,  his  ample  reward.  If  this  is  not 
the  case,  if  the  teacher's  tastes,  interests  and 
ambition  are  not  in  his  employment,  no  amount 
of  talent,  no  intellectual  attainments,  can  fit 
him  to  instruct  and  manage  a  school. 


20  NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS. 

A  cheerful  and  hopeful  disposition  is  also 
essential  to  success  in  teaching.  The  radiant 
smile  of  cheerfulness  is  the  sunlight  of  the 
school-room  which  diffuses  itself  through  the 
atmosphere,  and  is  reflected  from  every  coun- 
tenance. It  wakes  to  new  life  the  slumbering 
energies  of  the  mind  and  creates  an  abiding 
interest  in  the  duties  and  scenes  of  school-life. 
The  cheerful  teacher  makes  his  pupils  cheerful, 
but  sadness  and  discouragement  on  his  counte- 
nance, burden  the  mental  atmosphere  with  gloom 
and  chill  the  very  life-blood  of  vigorous  thought, 

Hope  is  also  an  essential  element  in  the 
teacher's  character.  He  must  be  inspired  with 
faith  in  human  nature  and  human  progress  ;  in 
the  moral  and  intellectual  capacity  of  his  pupils  ; 
in  the  power  of  good  instruction  and  good  exam- 
ple to  improve  and  elevate  the  mind,  and  in  the 
vast  importance  of  his  own  sphere  of  influence 
in  educating  and  forming  the  character  of  those 
committed  to  his  charge.  Hope  built  upon  such 
faith  is  strong  and  powerful  as  a  stimulus  to  effi- 
cient action. 


NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS.  21 

A  natural  and  earnest  sympathy  with  the 
young  is  another  valuable  trait  in  the  character 
of  the  teacher.  With  him  life  should  ever  be 
young.  He  must  be  fond  of  the  society  of 
children  and  youth  ;  must  partake  largely  of 
their  hopes,  their  joys  and  their  enthusiasm,  and 
must  be  sensitively  alive  to  all  that  interests  or 
troubles  them.  Such  a  teacher  has  a  sympathy, 
an  interest,  an  affection  for  his  pupils  which  will 
create  in  their  minds  corresponding  feelings,  and 
give  him  power  and  influence  over  them  that  can 
be  gained  in  no  other  way.  He  can  mingle  in 
their  sports  without  losing  his  dignity  or  author- 
ity ;  can  reprove  and  correct  them  without 
provoking  their  ill  will.  Such  a  master  will 
succeed. 

Aptness  to  teach  is  also  a  gift  of  nature,  still 
it  may  be  improved  by  culture.  Quickness  of 
perception  and  accurate  knowledge  are  impor- 
tant, but  the  most  brilliant  scholars  are  not, 
usually,  the  best  teachers.  The  power  to  com- 
municate and  instruct  so  as  to  gain  the  attention 
and  wake  up  the  mind  of  the  pupil,  is  the 


22  NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS. 

indispensable  gift  to  which  we  allude.  This 
enables  the  teacher  to  adapt  his  instructions  to 
the  peculiarities  of  his  pupils.  Some  need 
encouragement,  others  caution,  and  still  others 
rebuke,  according  as  they  are  timid,  ambitious, 
or  self-sufficient.  Aptness  to  teach  implies  skill 
in  the  selection  and  use  of  illustration.  It 
guides  the  teacher  as  to  the  amount  of  instruc- 
tion to  be  given,  that  he  may  not  make  the  task 
of  the  pupil  too  easy,  but  simply  possible.  In 
a  word,  it  instructs  him  when  to  teach,  how  to 
teach,  and  how  much  to  teach. 

Earnestness  and  perseverance  are  among  the 
necessary  qualities  in  the  teacher. 

These  qualities  are  indispensable  to  success  in 
any  department  of  labor.  Look  where  you  will 
for  examples,  the  same  truth  is  illustrated.  The 
earnest  man  succeeds ;  the  indolent,  though  pos- 
sessed of  more  talents  and  greater  attainments, 
often  fails.  The  earnest  and  determined  teacher 
not  only  performs  much  more  labor  in  the  same 
time,  but  inspires  all  around  him  with  his  own 
spirit.  He  infuses  life  and  animation  into  the 


NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS.  23 

minds  of  all,  awakens  new  interest  in  study  and 
exerts  a  commanding  influence  which  is  felt  not 
only  in  the  school-room,  but  also  in  the  district 
and  town  where  he  resides.  He  is  a  living, 
breathing,  acting  spirit.  Enthusiasm  \_Grod  in 
us~\  has  taken  possession  of  his  soul.  He  has 
caught  the  divine  idea  of  education  and  feels  a 
divine  solicitude  to  acquit  himself  in  a  manner 
corresponding  to  the  importance  of  his  work. 

His  earnestness  and  eagerness  to  accomplish 
his  object,  call  forth  a  corresponding  effort.  No 
obstacles  intimidate,  no  difficulties  discourage 
him  ;  he  feels  no  misgivings,  he  knows  no  defeat. 
Such  a  teacher  has  power  by  his  presence  to 
create  order  out  of  confusion,  and  to  make  his 
school  popular,  profitable  and  successful. 

The  efficient  teacher  must  have  a  sound  and 
well  cultivated  mind. 

A  sound  mind  is  not  only  the  foundation  of 
true  manhood,  but  the  source  of  all  successful 
efforts.  It  is  conceded  that  respectable  talents 
are  necessary  to  fit  the  young  man  for  successful 
business,  or  efficiency  in  any  one  of  the  mechan- 


24  NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS. 

ical  arts  or  professions.  For  the  factory,  the 
workshop,  the  counting-room,  we  demand  young 
persons  of  talent,  and  can  less  be  required  of 
those  who  are  to  occupy  the  important  position 
of  teachers  ? 

And  this  mind  must  be  cultivated ;  must 
acquire  the  power  to  think,  to  analyze  and 
reason.  An  undisciplined  mind  is  unfit  to  edu- 
cate other  minds.  It  cannot  appreciate  the 
importance  of  systematic  culture,  or  employ  the 
means  necessary  to  secure  it.  Without  the 
power  and  habit  of  well  regulated  thought,  the 
teacher  can  himself  have  no  available  knowl- 
edge ;  and  if  he  had,  could  have  no  power  to 
impart  it  to  others.  Hence,  every  teacher  should 
be  thoroughly  disciplined  by  mathematical  and 
classical  study.  These  furnish  the  most  direct 
means  of  securing  mental  discipline. 

But  discipline  is  not  the  only  advantage 
derived  from  such  studies.  The  study  of  Latin 
is  indispensable  to  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
English  language,  and  the  most  successful  way 
to  learn  that  language.  To  illustrate,  allow  any 


NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS.  25 

two  individuals  of  equal  age  and  equal  capacity 
to  commence  the  study  of  the  English  language 
with  a  view  to  make  the  greatest  possible  attain- 
ments in  two  years.  The  one  may  study  English 
grammar  during  the  whole  time,  and  under 
proper  instruction  ;  the  other  may  spend  his 
first  year  (one-half  the  time  allowed)  in  the 
study  of  Latin ;  the  second  year  he  may  spend 
in  the  study  of  English,  and  the  latter  will  be 
the  better  English  grammarian  when  the  two 
years  have  expired.  The  study  of  the  higher 
mathematics  is  of  great  service  to  the  Common 
School  Teacher.  It  adds  strength  and  vigor  to 
his  mental  powers,  and  affords  him  a  knowledge 
of  the  principles  necessary  to  explain  arithmetic 
and  the  practical  natural  sciences. 

The  facts  and  principles  of  the  branches  to  be 
taught  must  be  thoroughly  understood.  And, 
if  the  teacher  would  do  himself  full  justice,  he 
must  extend  his  knowledge  far  beyond  his  pres- 
ent necessity  and  requisitions.  He  cannot  teach 
clearly  in  the  twilight  of  his  own  knowledge,  nor 
communicate  more  definite  information  than  he 
3 


26  NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS. 

himself  possesses.  All  branches  of  science  are 
connected.  No  one  branch  can  be  properly 
taught  and  illustrated  without  the  aid  of  others. 
With  a  knowledge  of  the  lesson  to  be  taught, 
merely,  the  teacher  may  be  able  to  throw  some 
light  upon  the  subject  before  him,  but  it  is  like  the 
light  of  the  sun  where  there  is  no  atmosphere  to 
diffuse  and  reflect  it — all  in  one  direction,  and 
total  darkness  everywhere  else.  The  range  of 
the  teacher's  studies  should,  therefore,  be  exten- 
sive, and  his  knowledge  liberal.  He  should  be 
familiar  with  all  the  principles  that  can  aid  in 
the  explanation  of  the  subjects  to  be  taught. 
He  should  gather  up  and  preserve  all  attainable 
facts  and  incidents  to  be  found  in  the  wide  field 
of  science  and  history.  All  passing  events 
should  be  preserved  for  use  in  the  school-room. 

In  a  word,  the  teacher  should  be  constantly 
reading,  observing  and  thinking,  for  the  benefit 
of  his  pupils  and  the  honor  of  his  profession. 

Another  desirable  quality  in  a  School-Teacher 
is  self-respect.  This  implies  a  consciousness  of 
integrity  which  makes  one  strong  in  the  discharge 


NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS.  27 

of  his  duties ;  it  gives  its  possessor  noble  aims 
and  honorable  motives,  and  enables  him  to  hold 
a  commanding  position  among  his  pupils,  and  to 
exert  a  healthful  influence  over  them.  Self- 
respect  also  implies  self-reliance,  or  a  confidence 
in  one's  own  ability  and  qualifications  for  his 
office.  Such  a  teacher  is  not  ostentatious,  but 
simply  self-confident.  Difficulties  do  not  intimi- 
date nor  disturb  him,  because  he  feels  himself 
adequate  to  surmount  them.  He  rightly  judges 
himself  worthy  of  his  own  confidence  and  es- 
teem, and  is  sure  to  gain  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  his  pupils,  so  necessary  to  his  success 
and  usefulness. 

Self-respect  is  intimately  connected  with  self- 
control.  This,  also,  is  essential  to  success  in 
school-keeping.  Without  it,  a  master  is  like  a 
ship  without  a  helm.  In  calm  weather  he  may 
experience  no  serious  difficulty,  but  when  the 
storm  comes  and  the  winds  blow,  as  surely  they 
will,  he  has  no  security  from  wreck  and  ruin 
but  in  his  own  self-possession.  The  teacher 
whose  mind  is  thoroughly  disciplined  and  well 


28  NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS. 

balanced,  can  command  his  knowledge  ;  can 
apply  himself  to  any  subject,  whether  literary 
or  judicial.  His  understanding,  reason  and 
judgment  are  ready  for  any  emergency  ;  hence 
his  efficiency. 

Self-control  also  gives  authority.  To  be  qual- 
ified to  govern  others,  the  master  must  govern 
himself,  his  temper  and  his  tongue.  His  power 
to  quell  a  raging  tumult  or  crush  a  rebellion  lies 
in  his  coolness.  Authority  is  undoubtedly  a  gift 
of  nature  ;  but  it  is,  in  a  measure,  the  result  of 
other  cardinal  and  cultivated  qualities :  principle, 
decision,  independence,  dignity,  disinterested- 
ness and  refinement  are  all  commanding  ;  they 
give  power  and  impression  to  the  whole  man  ; 
they  speak  out  in  his  eye,  his  step,  his  voice  and 
in  all  his  movements  and  expressions.  Such 
self-respect  and  such  self-control  gain  for  the 
teacher  his  true  position  as  instructor  and  gov- 
ernor of  his  school.  After  all,  the  teacher,  to 
be  efficient,  must  be  professionally  educated, 

De  Witt  Clinton  has  said,  "  Teaching  ought 
to  be  among  the  learned  professions."  And 


NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS.  29 

why  not  ?  May  we  require  a  young  man  to 
pass  through  a  course  of  professional  training 
before  he  can  practice  law  or  medicine,  or  be- 
come a  respectable  mechanic,  and  yet  require 
no  special  training  of  the  teacher,  whose  profes- 
sion is  more  important  than  any  other  ? 

Must  the  lawyer  make  himself  familiar  with 
constitutional  principles  and  legislative  enact- 
ments, in  order  to  be  qualified  to  settle  our 
difficulties ;  must  the  physician  understand  the 
laws  of  our  physical  being,  the  nature  of  disease 
and  its  remedies,  in  order  to  be  allowed  to 
administer  to  the  health  of  the  body  ;  must  the 
mechanic  serve  a  three  years'  apprenticeship 
before  he  is  allowed  to  build  a  house  ?  And 
shall  the  teacher,  to  whom  is  committed  the 
great  work  of  training  the  human  mind  for  life 
and  immortality,  during  the  most  impressible 
and  formative  period  of  its  existence,  be  allowed 
no  special  preparation  ? 

It  is  a  serious  reflection  upon  the  boasted  intel- 
ligence of  American  mind,  that  so  little  interest 
is  felt  upon  this  subject,  and  so  large  a  proportion 


80  NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS. 

of  all  our  teachers  are  entirely  unfitted  for  their 
responsible  duties.  Teaching  should  be  recog- 
nized as  a  profession  ;  the  teacher  should  be 
satisfied  with  nothing  short  of  a  thorough  pro- 
fessional education  ;  and,  when  fully  qualified, 
he  should  receive  that  compensation  and  encour- 
agement which  his  self-sacrifice  and  devotion  to 
the  good  of  the  rising  generation  so  richly  merit. 
While  he  honors  his  profession  he  should  be 
honored  for  the  sake  of  it.  But  the  mere 
"  novice  in  the  trade  "  who  has  chosen  teaching 
only  to  avoid  more  unpleasant  labor,  or  to  gain 
the  means  to  accomplish  the  object  of  his  own 
personal  ambition,  having  no  interest  in  the 
business  or  idea  of  his  responsibility,  should  be 
driven  from  the  field  as  unworthy  the  high  posi- 
tion which  he  occupies.  Why  should  not  the 
profession  of  teaching  be  as  exalted,  and  be 
made  as  exclusive  as  aiyr  other  ?  No  good 
reason  can  be  assigned. 

Last  but  not  least  among  the  necessary  quali- 
fications of  the  school-teacher  here  to  be  enume- 
rated, is  moral  and  Christian  character.  Every 


NfiCESSARt    QUALIFICATIONS.  81 

teacher  should  be  a  model  of  excellence.  No 
position  in  life  demands  higher  attainments,  as 
none  commands  a  more  important  influence. 
Children  are  fine  copyists.  They  receive  their 
earliest  and  most  durable  impressions  by  imita- 
tion. Their  teacher  is  always  sitting  or  standing 
before  them  for  his  likeness.  The  impressions 
of  his  feelings,  principles  and  character,  'and 
especially  the  defects  in  his  character,  are  left, 
in  the  ambrotype  of  the  school-room,  upon  the 
imperishable  tablets  of  the  immortal  mind.  The 
pupil  may  be  expected  to  exhibit  his  teacher 
before  the  world.  He  often  assumes  his  airs, 
imitates  his  tones,  habits,  and  almost  his  very 
looks.  He  copies  his  roughness,  stereotypes 
his  oddities  and  perpetuates  his  errors  and  blun- 
ders. The  results  of  these  early  impressions 
and  of  this  influence  will  be  felt  upon  future 
generations.  The  tea&er  is  doing  his  most 
important  work,  then,  when  he  seems  to  be  idle. 
And  let  it  not  be  forgotten,  that  education 
does  not  begin  with  the  alphabet,  nor  end  when 
the  scholar  takes  his  diploma.  It  consists  not 


32  NECESSARY    QUALIFICATIONS. 

entirely  in  tasks  and  recitations.  Character 
teaches;  intelligence,  politeness,  candor,  mag- 
nanimity, veracity,  kindness,  worship,  moral  and 
Christian  integrity,  all  have  an  important,  plastic 
power  in  the  school-room.  But  "  these  are  no 
juvenile  graces  meant  to  be  set  on  children's 
breasts  by  grown-up  teachers  on  whose  own  lives 
their  glory  never  gleams."  If  we  would  culti- 
vate in  our  children  that  Christian  morality  which 
alone  can  exalt  their  character  and  fit  them  for 
usefulness  and  happiness  in  life ;  if  we  hope  to 
see  them  respected  and  honored  for  their  integ- 
rity and  virtue,  and  if  we  would,  through  them, 
transmit  to  coming  generations,  the  fruits  and 
blessings  of  our  holy  religion,  we  must  demand 
teachers  who  possess  the  principles  and  spirit  of 
true  piety. 

No  person,  therefore,  should  presume  to  enter 
upon  the  responsibilities  of  the  teacher's  office 
who  has  not,  in  active  exercise,  every  principle 
of  true  manhood,  every  element  of  a  noble 
character,  mental,  moral  and  religious. 


III. 

SCHOOL  MANAGEMENT. 

BY  School  Management  we  mean  much  more 
than  is  expressed  by  school  government.  The 
former  includes  the  latter.  If  a  school  is  prop- 
erly managed,  it  is  of  course,  well  governed. 
But  strict  government  may  sometimes  be  found 
in  connection  with  bad  management. 

It  is  the  object  of  school  management  to  gain 
such  an  influence  in  the  district  and  such  autho- 
rity in  the  school-room,  as  will  prevent  the 
necessity  of  discipline,  and  secure  the  improve- 
ment of  the  scholars.  That  teacher  who  has 
managed  judiciously  from  the  time  he  formed 
his  first  acquaintance  with  parent  or  pupil,  until 
he  is  firmly  established  in  his  school,  has  gained 
a  position  of  commanding  influence,  and  can 
now  control  his  pupils  and  secure  all  the  benefits 
4 


34  SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT. 

of  a  well  regulated  school,  seemingly  -without 
effort.  But  that  teacher  who  relies  solely  upon 
his  power  to  govern,  is  driven  to  the  necessity 
of  governing,  and  discipline,  not  instruction, 
becomes  his  chief  employment.  This  results  in 
evil,  even  though  he  governs  well :  for  his  time 
is  needed  for  more  important  purposes. 

If  we  visit  the  school-rooms  of  these  two 
teachers,  we  shall  find  an  almost  perfect  con- 
trast in  the  scenes  there  presented,  but  may  be 
puzzled  to  know  the  cause. 

The  master  who  is  conscious  that  he  has  the 
love  and  confidence  of  his  pupils  and  the  power 
to  control  them,  is  at  ease  in  the  presence  of  his 
school.  He  seems  to  make  no  effort,  yet  there 
is  no  want  of  energy.  His  repose  is  totally 
unlike  indolence  ;  his  ease  of  manner  has  no 
shuffling  or  lounging  in  it ;  his  dignity  is  at  the 
farthest  possible  remove  from  carelessness  and 
indifference.  There  is  manifest  all  the  vitality 
and  vigor  of  inward  determination.  This  teacher 
talks  but  little,  yet  when  he  does  speak,  is  always 
understood  and  instantly  obeyed,  When  he. 


SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT.  35 

arrives,  order  begins.  When  he  addresses  an 
individual  or  a  class,  or  raps  upon  the  desk  with 
his  pencil,  attention  is  given  and  quiet  restored. 
In  a  word,  by  his  presence  merely,  the  three-fold 
office  of  school-keeping  is  achieved,  without  fric- 
tion or  failure.  Authority  is  secured,  mental 
activity  stimulated,  and  knowledge  acquired. 
The  teacher  has  gained  his  easy  and  controlling 
position  by  skillful  management. 

We  will  now  enter  the  school-room  of  the 
other.  Some  writer  has  described  this  master 
as  "  the  incarnation  of  painful  and  laborious 
striving ;  a  conscious  perturbation  ;  a  principled 
paroxysm ;  an  embodied  flutter ;  a  mortal  stir  ; 
an  honest  human  hurly-burly."  He -has  good 
intentions,  and  evidently  tries  hard  to  control 
his  school.  He  talks  much  and  loudly,  and 
threatens  and  even  executes  severe  penalties, 
but  all  his  efforts  only  illustrate  his  personal 
impotency  and  despair.  "  His  expostulations  roll 
over  the  boys'  consciences  like  obliquely  shot 
bullets  over  the  ice."  What  a  contrast !  Yet, 
what  is  the  difference  ?  This  teacher  seems  to 


36  SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT. 

have  the  requisite  qualifications  as  to  talent  and 
learning.  It  may  be  so,  but  it  is  evident  that 
he  has  taken  no  pains  to  gain  the  esteem  and 
confidence  of  his  pupils ;  has  made  no  distinction 
between  school  government  and  school  manage- 
ment. Hence  his  failure. 

How  to  manage  so  as  to  gain  the  desired 
object,  is  then,  the  important  question.  The 
teacher's  success  depends  upon  a  thousand  little 
things — upon  all  he  says  and  does  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end  of  his  term  of  service. 
He  begins  to  operate  for  good  or  evil  for  himself 
as  soon  as  he  enters  the  district  and  often  before. 
It  is  fortunate  for  him  if  no  influence  or  preju- 
dice, unfavorable  to  his  success,  has  been  brought 
to  bear  upon  him  before  he  forms  a  personal 
acquaintance  with  his  patrons  and  pupils.  Sure 
it  is,  everything  that  occurs  in  connection  with 
them  afterwards,  tells  upon  his  success  or  fail- 
ure. This  may  depend  upon  the  impressions 
he  leaves  upon  a  single  family, — the  first  whose 
acquaintance  he  forms,  and  before  he  enters  the 
school  at  all. 


SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT.  37 

A  young  man  from  one  of  our  academies  had 
been  employed  to  finish  a  school  in  which  his 
predecessor  had  been  unsuccessful.  The  school 
agent  had  conveyed  him,  a  stranger,  to  his  own 
house,  as  his  first  home  in  the  district.  His 
hostess  had  herself  been  a  teacher  and  professed 
skill  in  the  management  of  schools.  Here  was 
opportunity  for  our  hero  to  gain  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  an  important  patron,  and  thus 
secure  her  influence  in  his  favor.  But  he  did 
not  feel  the  importance  of  such  an  effort,  and 
hence  took  no  pains  to  please.  He  soon  allowed 
himself  to  engage  in  angry  dispute  with  the 
good  lady,  in  regard  to  the  best  method  of  con- 
ducting class  recitation,  which  resulted,  first, 
in  a  strong  prejudice  and  determined  hostility 
against  him  as  a  man  and  a  teacher,  and  after- 
wards, in  his  dismissal  from  the  school.  But  for 
this  imprudence  and  want  of  common-sense,  he 
might  have  been  entirely  successful,  as  his  sub- 
sequent experience  has  shown. 

First  impressions  of  the  teacher  and  of  his 
management  in  school  are  usually  permanent, 

4* 

409521 


38  SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT. 

and  hence  very  important.     Let  this  be  remem- 
bered. 

The  teacher  should  aim,  in  the  first  place,  to 
gain  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  with  whom 
he  meets  ;  for  all  have  power  to  do  him  good  or 
harm  in  his  relations  to  the  school.  To  this  end, 
he  should  seek  an  early  and  familiar  acquain- 
tance with  all.  In  the  school-room  and  by  the 
way,  his  first  object  should  be  to  gain  the  confi- 
dence of  his  pupils.  It  is  through  them  that  he 
must  first  act  upon  the  parents.  Every  experi- 
enced teacher  knows,  that  if  he  would  gain  the 
confidence  of  the  father,  he  must  first  gain  the 
respect  of  the  mother ;  and,  to  secure  this 
object,  he  must  gain  the  love  of  the  child. 
Hence  he  spares  no  pains  to  win  the  affections 
of  the  children,  in  the  school  and  in  the  family. 
He  improves  the  earliest  opportunity  to  visit 
them  at  their  homes  ;  is  social  and  familiar  with 
all;  adapts  himself  to  the  circumstances  and 
peculiarities  of  each  family,  and  manifests  a 
deep  interest  in  everything  that  interests  them. 
He  freely  explains  to  parents  his  plans  and 


SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT.  39 

measures  for  the  improvement  of  their  children, 
and  thus  gains  their  esteem  and  cooperation. 

If  the  teacher  would  manage  to  make  his 
patrons  and  pupils  his  friends,  and  to  interest 
them  in  the  school,  he  must  manifest  an  earnest 
devotion  to  his  Avork,  and  show  them  by  his  zeal 
and  faithfulness  that  he  labors  for  their  good 
only ;  must  inspire  them  by  his  own  living 
example,  and  bring  them  under  his  control  by 
the  power  of  generous  sympathy. 

To  the  same  end,  the  teacher  must  maintain 
a  manly  independence,  while  he  shows  due 
respect  to  the  opinions  and  feelings  of  those 
around  him.  The  master  is  expected  to  under- 
stand his  own  business,  yet  he  should  not  regard 
himself  beyond  improvement,  nor  refuse  to  listen 
to  suggestions  made  to  him  by  his  employers. 
He  may  act  independent  of  their  suggestions  if 
he  deems  it  his  duty,  but  he  should  patiently 
listen.  And,  in  regard  to  other  subjects  which 
may  be  called  up  in  the  family  and  neighborhood, 
he  should  never  refuse  to  express  his  honest  con- 
victions. He  will  be  more  respected  by  all 


40  SCHOOL   MANAGEMENT. 

classes  for  having  opinions  of  his  own,  if  he  does 
not  attempt  to  intrude  them  upon  others.  He 
may  "  become  all  things  to  all  men  "  so  far  as 
not  to  give  offense,  but  not  so  far  as'  to  give  up 
his  manhood.  In  a  word,  if  he  would  gain  con- 
fidence, esteem  and  power,  he  must  show  himself 
to  be  a  man,  and  in  the  discharge  of  all  his 
duties,  acquit  himself  like  a  man. 

The  first  thing  that  demands  the  teacher's 
attention  in  the  school-room,  is  organization. 
His  success  depends  not  so  much  upon  moral 
suasion  or  legal  suasion,  as  upon  judicious  man- 
agement and  the  influence  of  a  well  regulated 
school. 

In  a  steam  engine  we  expect  harmonious 
action  only  when  all  parts  of  the  machine  are 
in  perfect  order.  A  watch  will  keep  correct 
time  only  when  all  the  wheels  and  springs  are 
in  their  places,  and  every  part  properly  lubri- 
cated. Likewise  a  school  must  be  completely 
organized,  systematized  and  fully  employed,  or 
disorder  and  confusion  will  be  the  result.  When 
so  regulated,  its  machinery  is  self-adjusting — 


SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT.  41 

order  reigns,  and  the  teacher  is  known  as  a  good 
disciplinarian.  But  it  is  not  generally  under- 
stood how  he  gains  his  influence,  and  how  he 
controls  with  so  little  effort. 

Special  attention  must  be  given  to  the  seating 
and  classification  of  the  pupils.  The  object  in 
view  is  to  prevent  disorder  and  save  time. 
Each  pupil  should  be  so  located  in  the  school- 
room, that  he  may  quietly  attend  to  his  own 
duties  and  not  disturb  his  fellows.  All  should 
be  so  arranged  as  to  have  the  least  possible 
number  of  classes,  while  each  pupil  is  adapted 
to  the  standing  of  his  class. 

Every  arrangement  in  the '  school  should  be 
systematic.  There  should  be  a  time  for  every- 
thing, and  everything  in  its  time  ;  a  time  to  open 
the  school,  which  should  never  vary  ;  a  definite 
time  for  every  school  exercise  ;  a  time  for  study 
and  a  time  for  recess  ;  a  time  to  whisper  and  a 
time  to  keep  silent.  In  a  word,  everything  that 
is  desirable  or  that  cannot  be  prevented,  should 
be  provided  for  and  have  its  own  time  and  place. 
Those  irregularities  that  are  necessary,  should 


42  SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT. 

be  provided  for  as  really  as  the  regular  exercises 
of  the  school.  Whispering  and  leaving  of  seats 
should  not  be  allowed  in  study  hours,  nor  pro- 
miscuous questions  when  hearing  recitations. 
Hence  the  importance  of  having  a  definite  time 
for  whispering,  leaving  seats,  and  asking  ques- 
tions. This  will  remove  temptation  and  leave 
no  apology  for  disorder  at  other  times. 

It  is  important  also,  that  the  pupils  have  full 
employment.  The  old  proverb  that  "  An  idle 
brain  is  the  devil's  workshop,"  has  more  truth 
in  it  than  poetry.  But,  ordinarily,  three  promi- 
nent studies  are  enough  to  give  variety  and 
occupy  time.-  In  determining  the  length  of  les- 
sons, the  teacher  should  estimate  the  ability  of 
the  class,  and  the  difficulty  of  the  subject.  If 
the  task  is  too  easy,  the  scholar  will  have  tune 
to  play ;  if  too  difficult,  he  will  become  disheart- 
ened or  superficial.  The  assigned  lesson  should 
therefore,  tax  the  mind  to  the  extent  of  its 
working  ability — no  more,  no  less. 

But  to  prevent  the  evil  and  secure  the  good 
contemplated,  the  scholar  must  be  made  to  feel 


SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT.  43 

that  study  and  recitation  are  the  business  of 
school-hours,  and  must  become  deeply  interested 
in  his  lessons. 

Hence,  "  to  wake  up  mind  "  becomes  a  prom- 
inent object  of  the  experienced  teacher.  In 
this,  his  skill  and  efficiency  will  be  tested.  If 
lie  can  divert  the  attention  from  mischief  and 
sport,  can  rouse  from  indolence  and  fix  the  mind 
upon  the  duties  and  exercises  of  the  school,  he 
needs  no  written  testimonials  of  his  qualifications 
to  manage  and  instruct ;  it  may  be  presumed 
that  he  understands  his  business  and  will  be 
successful.  But  hop 

"  To  breathe  the  enlivening  spirit,  and  to  fix 
The  generous  purpose  in  the  glowing  breast," 

becomes  an  important  question  to  the  inexpe- 
rienced. This  depends  both  upon  what  the 
teacher  is  and  what  he  does.  The  true  teacher 
possesses  that  earnestness,  fidelity  and  love  for 
his  work  which  render  the  scenes  of  the  school- 
room pleasant  and  exciting.  Does  he  manifest 
his  interest  in  the  school  by  promptness  and 
punctuality  ?  He  may  expect  his  pupils  to 


44  SCHOOL   MANAGEMENT. 

become  prompt  and  punctual  also.  Is  he  deeply 
interested  in  their  studies  ?  He  will  be  sure  to 
inspire  them  with  the  same  zeal.  Does  his  soul 
glow  with  an  enthusiasm  almost  divine  in  view 
of  the  dignity,  importance  and  responsibility  of 
his  work?  Then  will  he  enkindle  in  their 
bosoms  an  abiding  interest,  an  earnestness  that 
cannot  fail  of  success. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  remove  all  difficulties  in 
order  to  interest  the  mind.  If  not  beyond  the 
comprehension  and  ability  of  the  pupil,  they 
serve  only  to  stimulate  to  greater  effort.  The 
inborn  desire  for  knowledge  is  strong,  and  if  that 
desire  be  kept  alive  under  the  inspiration  and 
direction  of  an  earnest  teacher,  no  labor  nor  toil 
will  be  irksome  that  is  necessary  to  gain  the 
desired  object.  Indeed  this  very  toil  becomes  a 
source  of  pleasure.  "  Every  new  idea  that  enters 
into  the  presence  of  the  sovereign  mind,  carries! 
offerings  of  delight  with  it  to  make  its  coming 
welcome.  Our  Maker  created  us  in  blank  igno- 
rance for  the  very  purpose  of  giving  us  the 
boundless,  endless  pleasure  of  learning  new 


SCHOOL   MANAGEMENT.  45 

things."  Familiar  and  apt  illustrations  in  reci- 
tation tend  to  awaken  interest  in  study;  but 
illustrations  should  not  be  too  familiar,  nor 
instruction  too  free,  for  the  same  reason  that 
lessons  should  not  be  too  easy.  If  the  teacher 
would  fix  the  attention  and  rouse  to  earnest  appli- 
cation, let  him  simply  point  out  the  way,  and 
teach  the  pupil  how  to  gain  the  desired  knowl- 
edge ;  if  he  would  cause  the  scholar's  mind  to 
glow  with  enthusiasm,  let  him  open  to  his  view 
the  twilight  that  emanates  from  the  bright  world 
of  thought  beyond,  and  his  work  is  accomplished. 

Thus  pupils  are  encouraged  to  investigate 
and  think  for  themselves,  and  to  look  beyond 
their  text-books  and  teachers  for  information. 

For  the  same  object  special  efforts  should  be 
made  to  render  the  school-room  and  its  exercises 
attractive  and  pleasant.  And  let  it  not  be  for- 
gotten in  this  connection,  that  "  variety  is  the 
spice  of  life."  Is  punctuality  at  the  opening  of 
the  school  desirable  ?  Let  the  teacher  introduce 
some  exercise  at  that  hour,  adapted  to  interest 
the  pupils.  They  will  not  be  tardy  if  there  is 
5 


46  SCHOOL    MANAGEMENT. 

suitable  inducement  for  them  to  be  punctual. 
Brief  and  appropriate  religious  exercises  with 
singing,  seldom  fail  to  secure  the  object.  These 
exercises  may  be  followed  by  some  interesting 
story,  or  illustration  of  some  familiar  scientific 
fact.  For  instance,  the  philosophy  of  dew,  rain 
and  clouds  ;  the  effects  of  heat  and  cold  upon 
the  atmosphere  ;  or  the  laws  of  health  with  the 
duty  and  means  of  preserving  it,  may  be  ex- 
plained. Brief  and  -familiar  lectures  on  such 
subjects  always  interest  and  profit  school  chil- 
dren and  youth.  Facts  gathered  from  history 
and  from  the  incidents  of  every  day  life,  may 
also  be  employed  for  the  same  purpose.  And 
when  the  school  has  become  tired  of  study,  as 
indicated  by  restlessness  and  confusion,  and  the 
interest  in  school-duties  begins  to  flag,  let  the 
teacher  entertain  his  pupils  for  a  few  moments, 
by  some  general  exercise  as  above  recommended ; 
and  the  mind  thus  diverted,  will  return  with 
eagerness  to  its  "accustomed  task. 

To  the  means  already  suggested  for  keeping 
alive  the  interest  in  school-duties,  we  may  add 


SCHOOL   MANAGEMENT.  47 

the  motives  which  should  he  urged  as  incentives 
to  action. 

We  must  not  mention  among  these  that  "  emu- 
lation" which  the  apostle  associates  with  "wrath, 
strife  and  sedition,"  and  other  "  Avorks  of  the 
flesh."  The  influence  of  that  spirit  is  always 
njurious  in  school,  as  it  is  in  the  world.  If 
emulation  can  mean  a  desire  for  improvement, 
progress  and  growth,  which  urges  its  possessor 
to  eainest  effort  to  excel,  because  excellence  is 
in  itself  desirable,  and  to  gain  discipline  and 
knowledge  for  their  own  sake ;  then  let  it  be 
employed  to  awaken  thought  and  keep  alive 
interest  in  duty.  We  cannot  recommend  the 
use  of  prizes  in  school  as  a  motive  to  study :  for 
we  have  seen  that  their  influence  is  evil  and  only 
evil.  Awarding  prizes  gives  undue  prominence 
to  an  unworthy  object,  engenders  a  spirit  of 
rivalry  and  strife  among  the  pupils,  and  creates 
indifference  in  the  many,  while  it  stimulates  the 
few  to  action.  The  prize  is  often  unjustly 
awarded  and  .always  establishes  a  wrong  stand- 
ard of  excellence.  It  rewards  success  and  not 


48  SCHOOL   MANAGEMENT. 

EFFORT — talent  and  not  WORTH.  Hence  prizes, 
as  such,  should  be  discarded  bj  every  teacher. 

But  we  may  urge  as  motives  to  study,  the 
desire  to  gain  the  approbation  of  the  wise  and 
the  good ;  the  desire  to  make  advancement,  to 
be  useful  and  to  do  right,  and  as  has  already 
been  suggested,  the  natural  love  of  acquisition 
and  the  desire  to  know. 

Once  more,  every  successful  manager  of  a 
school  must  learn  the  importance  of  public  opin- 
ion as  a  means  of  securing  a  well  regulated 
school.  Public  opinion  has  a  controlling  influ- 
ence in  every  school,  for  good  or  for  evil.  As 
an  engine  of  evil  it  is  powerful,  as  many  an 
unfortunate  teacher  can  testify ;  as  a  means  of 
preventing  evil  and  securing  good,  it  may  be 
equally  available. 

A  skillful  and  very  successful  teacher  in  the 
city  of  Boston,  once  gave  us  an  example  illus- 
trating the  subject  before  us  :  The  "  Quincy 
School,"  consisting  of  some  seven  hundred  boys 
gathered  promiscuously  within  the  limits  of  a 
school  district  in  the  city,  occupied  one  building 


SCHOOL   MANAGEMENT.  49 

under  the  Principal  above  alluded  to.  This  new 
school  building  had  been  occupied  three  years, 
yet  we  were  assured  that  not  a  mark  of  pencil 
or  knife  could  be  found  on  the  benches  or  walls 
or  play-ground  fence  !  In  answer  to  the  inquiry 
how  this  protection  had  been  secured,  the  master 
said  it  was  done  "  by  piling  on  motives,"  which 
created  a  healthy  state  of  public  sentiment.  This 
is  but  one  of  a  thousand  examples  that  might  be 
adduced  to  illustrate  the  same  point.  It  is,  in- 
deed,  of  the  first  importance  that  every  teacher 
aim  to  create  and  maintain  a  correct  public  opin- 
ion. It  will  prove  a  powerful  auxiliary  to  his 
necessary  work.  His  pupils  may  sometimes  dis- 
regard his  authority,  and  trifle  with  his  feelings, 
and  may  manifest  indifference  to  his  counsel  or 
rebuke ;  but  when  public  opinion  speaks,  its  voice 
is  heeded ;  when  it  frowns,  the  culprit  trembles. 
Happy,  then,  is  that  teacher  who  can  so  enligh- 
ten and  influence  the  public  mind  that  it  will 
sustain  him  in  the  faithful  discharge  of  school 
duties,  and  guard  his  sanctuary  with  vigilance 
and  care. 


IV. 

SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE. 

THE  hints  upon  the  preceding  pages  are 
designed  to  aid  the  teacher  in  his  efforts  to 
prevent  evil  and  secure  the  improvement  of  his 
pupils.  The  question  now  arises,  if  wrong  has 
been  committed  and  wholesome  laws  and  regula- 
tions violated,  what  shall  be  done  ? 

In  answering  this  question,  we  would  say, 
something  must  be  done — something  that  will 
show,  without  a  doubt,  that  a  MASTER  has  charge 
of  the  school. 

It  may  here  be  premised  that  school  discipline 
is  based  upon  authority,  as  a  starting  point. 
We  do  not  propose  to  argue  the  question,  but 
assert  it,  without  fear  of  successful  contradiction. 
Implicit  obedience  to  rightful  authority  must 
always  be  inculcated  and  enforced ;  it  is  the  very 


SCHOOL   DISCIPLINE.  51 

germ  of  all  good  order  and  the  only  foundation 
of  efficient  government.  In  school  management, 
as  a  means  of  preventing  evil,  we  may  persuade, 
invite  and  win ;  at  any  time,  when  the  doctrine 
of  subordination  is  not  questioned  by  the  pupil, 
or  after  he  has  been  subdued  by  authority,  we 
may  allure  him  by  kind  treatment  and  agreeable 
manners.  But  kindness  cannot  supply  the  place 
of  authority,  nor  gratitude  that  of  submission. 
Obedience  is  not  a  voluntary  compliance  with  a 
request,  but  a  hearty  response  to  acknowledged 
authority — an  implicit  yielding  to  a  command. 
Sympathy  may  render  obedience  pleasant  and 
aid  authority  in  securing  prompt  compliance, 
but  it  may  never  take  its  place. 

And  this  authority  must  be  recognized  as  just 
and  unconditional.  It  is  not  obedience  to  the 
master,  in  view  of  his  superiority,  but  to  the 
station  he  fills,  both  as  a  duty  and  necessity. 
This  authority  vested  in  his  office,  he  has  no 
right  to  withhold  ;  it  is  not  at  his  disposal,  except 
to  execute.  He  governs  not  for  his  own  sake, 
but  for  the  good  of  his  school.  The  pupil  must 


52  SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE. 

not  wait  for  the  dictates  of  inclination  or  feeling 
before  he  yields,  nor  ask  the  reason  for  the  com- 
mand. If  it  be  the  voice  of  rightful  authority, 
it  must  be  obeyed,  promptly  and  without  ques- 
tion. Unconditional  authority  vested  in  one 
person,  as  master,  is  not  only  right  in  principle 
but  absolutely  necessary,  both  in  the  legal  and 
moral  government  of  the  school. 

Says  an  able  writer  on  this  subject,  "  The  first 
step  which  the  teacher  must  take,  I  do  not  mean 
in  his  course  of  moral  education,  but  before  he 
is  prepared  to  enter  that  course,  is  to  obtain  the 
entire,  unqualified  submission  of  his  school  to  his 
authority.  There  must  be  authority. 

The  pupils  may  not  often  feel  it,  but  they  must 
know  that  it  is  always  at  hand,  and  must  be 
taught  to  submit  to  it  as  to  simple  AUTHORITY. 
The  subjection  of  the  governed  to  the  will  of 
one  man,  in  such  a  way  that  the  expression  of 
his  will  must  be  the  final  decision  of  every  ques- 
tion, is  the  only  government  that  will  answer  in 
school  or  in  family.  A  government  not  of  per- 
suasion, not  of  reasons  assigned,  not  of  the  will 


SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE.  53 

of  the  majority,  but  of  the  will  of  the  one  who 
presides." 

For  the  time  being  his  will  must  be  law,  and 
that  law  must  be  obeyed.  The  injured  pupils 
may  appeal  to  the  trustees,  from  whom  the 
teacher  derived  his  power,  but  they  may  never 
disobey,  however  much  they  dislike  his  require- 
ments. If,  then,  obedience  has  been  refused, 
something  must  be  done  to  correct  the  evil  and 
prevent  a  repetition,  or  anarchy  and  chaos  will 
be  the  result. 

To  meet  such  an  emergency  every  teacher 
must  have  reserved  power.  A  hundred  thousand 
muskets  have  been  manufactured,  inspected  and 
packed  in  boxes  by  the  United  States  govern- 
ment, and  now  constitute  the  slumbering  power 
of  the  nation,  These  instruments  of  death, 
though  perfectly  made  and  every  part  adjusted, 
have  never  been  called  into  use  ;  yet,  they  con- 
stitute the  strength  of  the  nation,  and  it  is  the 
existence  of  that  power  that  gives  security  to 
our  rights  and  permanency  to  our  institutions. 
Suppose,  now,  an  executive  officer  comes  to 


54  SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE. 

demand  the  payment  of  a  bond  or  the  rendition 
of  a  criminal.  He  has  no  musket ;  is  attended 
by  no  military  force.  Gentleness  and  civility 
mark  all  his  movements.  But  let  compliance  to 
this  demand  of  government  be  refused,  and  force 
is  brought  to  bear  upon  the  offender.  Let  resis- 
tance be  sustained,  and  this  force  is  multiplied, 
if  need  be,  until  a  hundred  thousand  bayonets 
gleam  in  the  sunshine,  and  the  hundred  thousand 
muskets  speak  with  deadly  power. 

So  the  teacher  must  not  only  have  reserved 
force,  but  also  the  disposition  and  ability  to. 
apply  it  when  circumstances  require.  The  mere 
knowledge  that  such  power  exists  may  prevent 
the  necessity  to  employ  it,  still  authority  and 
good  order  cannot  be  maintained  where  that 
power  is  not  acknowledged  and  felt. 

The  object  of  all  punishment  is  two-fold :  first, 
the  good  of  the  school,  and  secondly,  the  good 
of  the  offender.  If  the  good  of  both  the  school 
and  the  individual  cannot  be  secured  by  the 
punishment,  the  scholar  must  be  sacrificed  and 
not  the  school. 


SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE.  55 

The  murderer  is  not  usually  hung  for  his  own 
benefit,  but  for  the  benefit  of  society,  for  the 
protection  of  the  innocent  and  the  vindication 
of  law.  In  most  cases,  however,  in  school 
government,  the  crime  may  be  so  punished  as  to 
save  and  benefit  both  the  school  and  the  crimi- 
nal. How  shall  this  be  done  ?  We  answer,  in 
general,  in  a  manner  adapted  to  the  nature  of 
the  offense,  and  the  disposition  and  character  of 
the  offender.  The  punishment  may  be  a  look 
only,  or  a  word,  or  a  privation,  or  a  restraint,  or 
a  task,  or  a  forfeiture,  or  the  infliction  of  pain  ; 
whatever  it  is,  it  must  be  compulsatory  and  retri- 
butive, and  always  disagreeable.  It  finds  nature 
in  rebellion.  Its  object  is  to  subdue  that  rebel- 
lion and  restore  the  mind  to  deliberate  thought- 
fulness,  self-examination  and  sincere  repentance. 
At  first,  vexation  may  lead  to  resistance,  but 
when  the  punishment  is  faithfully  administered, 
passion  subsides,  and  a  quiet  calmness  and  a 
sincere  humiliation  takes  possession  of  the  soul. 
The  means  may  be  physical,  but  the  end  is 
moral.  The  "  chastening  "  is  always  "  grievous," 


56  SCHOOL   DISCIPLINE. 

but  "  afterwards  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruits 
of  righteousness." 

But  as  already  suggested,  it  is  folly  in  the 
extreme  to  act  by  rule  in  the  discipline  of  a 
school.  That  physician  is  a  quack  who  pre- 
scribes the  same  remedy  for  every  disease. 
Some  patients  need  only  encouragement ;  others 
need  stimulants,  and  still  others  soothing  reme- 
dies, to  allay  inflammation  or  a  fever ;  and  there 
are  some  diseases  that  nothing  but  calomel  can 
cure.  The  physician,  then,  must  study,  the 
constitution  of  his  patient  and  the  nature  of  the 
disease,  and  administer  accordingly. 

So  the  school  teacher  must  study  the  disposi- 
tion and  character  of  his  pupils  and  learn  the 
circumstances  and  purpose  of  the  crime,  before 
he  can  prescribe  a  remedy  that  will  cure. 

Allow  us  here  to  suggest,  the  teacher  should 
distinguish  between  the  "  light  of  the  glow-worm 
and  a  spark  of  fire  about  to  fall  into  a  magazine 
of  powder."  If  a  slight  offense  has  been  com- 
mitted, which  threatens  no  evil  result  to  the 
school,  it  were  better  to  4  take  no  notice  of  it. 


SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE.  57 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  offense  is  public,  and 
to  pass  it  over  would  give  license  to  a  repetition, 
and  put  in  jeopardy  the  teacher's  authority,  let 
him  treat  it  with  becoming  promptness  and  sever- 
ity. He  should  check  the  first  indications  of 
insubordination.  No  teacher  loses  his  authority 
at  once.  No  school  that  has  been  kept  in  proper 
subjection,  assumes  the  attitude  of  rebellion. 
If  first  indications  of  improper  conduct  receive 
proper  attention,  more  aggravating  offenses  will 
not  occur.  Loose  government  makes  punish- 
ments necessary.  That  master,  therefore,  who 
exercises  a  mild  severity  at  all  times,  and  keeps 
his  school  in  perfect  subjection,  will  seldom  need 
to  resort  to  severer  measures. 

Faults  that  have  an  influence  upon  the  school 
should  be  corrected  publicly,  that  all  may  feel 
the  influence  of  the  discipline.  If  they  are 
known  only  to  the  teacher,  he  may  punish  the 
the  offender  in  private  for  his  own  good. 

But  what  degree  of  severity  is  to  be  recom- 
mended ?  That  degree  which  is  necessary  to 
accomplish  the  object  in  view. 


58  SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE. 

What  kind  of  punishment  shall  be  inflicted — 
moral  suasion  or  the  rod?  We  answer,  one  or 
both,  as  circumstances  require.  The  quack  and 
the  theorist  only  maintain  that  either  moral 
suasion  or  legal  suasion  alone  will  govern  schools. 
The  kind  word  of  encouragement,  the  confiden- 
tial appeal,  the  gentle  reproof,  the  stern  prohi- 
bition and  the  severe  blow  are  all  appropriate 
and  necessary  in  school  discipline. 

It  is  a  mistaken  idea  that  corporal  punishment 
is  in  itself  an  evil,  to  be  employed  only  as  a  last 
resort.  It  is  not  "  violence  and  outrage."  Is 
it  cruel  to  rouse  an  invalid  from  refreshing  sleep 
in  order  to  save  him  from  the  devouring  flames  ? 
Is  it  cruel  to  restrain  a  madman,  who  is  attempt- 
ing to  commit  suicide  ?  Is  the  surgeon  hard- 
hearted because  he  performs  a  painful  operation 
to  save  the  life  of  his  patient  ?  By  no  means. 
Is  the  teacher,  then,  to  be  accused  of  cruelty 
who  aims  to  prevent  violence  by  teaching  the 
necessity  of  subjection  ?  He  is  not  cruel  but 
merciful.  This  system  has  more  of  kindness  in 
it  than  any  other.  It  is  not  kind  to  leave  the 


SCHOOL   DISCIPLINE.  59 

pupil  to  grow  up  under  the  influence  of  an 
unsubdued  temper.  It  is  cruelty  in  the  parent 
or  teacher  not  to  govern  and  subdue  the  rebel- 
lious child. 

"  Physical  coercion  is  but  the  final  appliance 
of  moral  suasion,"  and  in  numerous  instances, 
the  only  means  of  securing  moral  results. 

If  the  disease  requires  calomel,  sugar  pellets 
will  not  cure.  The  mortifying  limb  must  be 
amputated.  It  is  not  as  the  last  resort,  but  the 
only  remedy. 

Let  the  master,  then,  kindly  but  promptly, 
enforce  wholesome  regulations.  Let  him  do  this, 
if  need  be,  by  the  severe  use  of  the  rod.  "  The 
rod  and  reproof  give  wisdom."  "  Foolishness 
is  bound  up  in  the  heart  of  a  child,  but  the  rod 
of  correction  shall  drive  it  far  from  him."  "  He 
that  spareth  the  rod,  Tiateth  his  son." 

Many  a  child  has  been  saved  in  school,  that 
was  lost  to  the  family  and  society  ;  lost  for  the 
want  of  proper  discipline,  and  saved  by  the  legal 
and  moral  power  of  the  rod.  Indeed,  the  utility 
of  corporal  punishment  in  schools,  is  no  longer  a 


60  SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE. 

debatable  question.  Its  use  and  necessity  are 
sustained  alike  by  human  and  divine  authority, 
by  common-sense  and  universal  experience. 

But  punishment  should  never  be  inflicted  in 
anger.  Firmness  and  decision  are  no  more 
necessary  in  cases  of  discipline,  than  coolness 
and  candor.  The  pupils  must  be  convinced  that 
the  teacher  seeks  their  good  only,  and  reproves 
and  punishes  them  as  a  matter  of  necessity,  and 
not  under  the  influence  of  passion.  He  will, 
then,  retain  their  confidence  and  respect,  how- 
ever great  his  severity. 

Punishment  to  be  effectual  must  be  thorough. 
A  half-whipped  boy  is  only  aggravated,  not  con- 
quered. Hence  the  object  of  his  punishment  is 
not  accomplished.  The  teacher  should  never 
threaten  unless  he  designs  to  execute,  but  when 
the  crisis  comes,  he  should  leave  no  necessity 
for  a  repetition.  We  can  conceive  of  no  proper 
punishment  that  may  not  be  inflicted  with  all 
needed  severity. 

The  teacher  is  responsible  for  the  mode  of 
punishment,  as  well  as  for  its  faithful  execution 


SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE.  61 

Any  method  that  will  inflict  a  permanent  physical 
injury  is  unjustifiable.  Holding  weights  in  ex- 
tended hands,  "sitting  upon  nothing,"  bending 
forward  with  the  arm  extended  to  the  floor,  all 
blows  on  or  about  the  head  with  stick  or  ferule, 
and  all  violent  shaking  of  children  by  the  shoul- 
ders, endangering  their  health  and  life,  are 
entirely  improper.  The  teacher  who  resorts  to 
such  punishments  must  be  wanting  in  common- 
sense  and  common  intelligence. 

Another  important  suggestion :  severity  should 
always  be  accompanied  and  followed  by  faithful 
counsel  and  kind  treatment. 

Never  let  the  sun  go  down  upon  the  wrath  of 
a  chastised  pupil.  See  him  alone,  before  he  is 
allowed  to  mingle  with  his  companions  or  return 
to  his  home.  Otherwise  he  may  excite  sympa- 
thy and  create  a  rebellion.  The  object  to  be 
gained  is  to  win  the  offender  back  to  duty  and 
cheerful  obedience,  and  thus  save  the  school 
from  anarchy  and  confusion,  and  the>  scholar, 
it  may  be,  from  a  course  of  recklessness  arid 
crime.  After  the  offense  has  been  punished  and 


62  SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE. 

the  difficulty  settled,  kind  and  confidential  treat- 
ment will  usually  disarm  the  enraged  pupil  of 
his  hostility  and  restore  him  to  favor ;  a  few 
moments  spent  with  him  in  faithful,  private 
conversation,  may  make  him  a  friend  for  life. 
Without  the  chastisement  this  moral  influence 
would  have  heen  of  no  avail ;  with  it,  it  is 
entirely  successful. 

This  mingling  of  the  severe  with'  the  mild  in 
discipline,  is  the  more  necessary  in  consequence 
of  the  heterogeneous  character  of  our  schools. 
The  teacher  cannot  select  his  pupils  from  those 
families  that  have  been  under  wholesome  influ- 
ence, but  must  receive  many  who  have  been 
entirely  ungoverned  at  home ;  the  current  of 
whose  evil  propensities  has  received  a  steady 
direction  and  violent  impulse,  from  long  years 
of  parental  misrule  and  vice.  These  scholars 
must  be  controlled,  and  if  possible,  subdued. 
It  is  cruel  to  reject  them  from  the  school,  and 
thus  cut  them  off  from  the  last  hope  of  improve- 
ment and  recovery  from  their  ruinous  course  of 
life. 


SCHOOL  DISCIPLINE.  63 

The  master  is  held  responsible  for  the  results 
of  his  discipline ;  results  which  must  be  felt  in 
the  school,  in  the  neighborhood  and  in  the  world. 
Away,  therefore,  with  all  utopian  theories  of 
school  government.  Experience  and  skill  may 
improve  the  means  of  application,  but  cannot 
change  the  system  of  discipline,  founded  in 
nature  and  sustained  by  the  experience  of  the 
wise  in  every  age,  from  the  days  of  Solomon  to 
the  present  time.  All  Avho  would  discharge 
their  duty  in  these  important  relations,  should 
aim  and  strive  to  become  judicious  managers 
and  good  disciplinarians. 


V. 

SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

IN  a  previous  chapter  we  have  enumerated 
some  of  the  necessary  qualifications  of  the  good 
Teacher.  We  now  propose  to  make  a  few 
suggestions  as  to  the  method  of  imparting 
instruction. 

It  is  important  here  to  distinguish  between 
Instruction  and  Recitation.  The  former  is  the 
business  of  the  teacher  ;  the  latter  belongs  to 
the  pupil  only.  The  object  of  the  one  is  to 
impart  imformation  ;  of  the  other,  to  express 
the  thoughts  which  the  scholar  has  gained  by- 
study,  observation  and  reflection.  School  in- 
struction should  aim  to  interest  and  aid  the  mind 
in  self-application  ;  school  recitation  serves  to 
render  acquired  knowledge  more  definite  and 
conceptions  more  vivid,  and  cultivates  the  power 
and  habit  of  expression. 


SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION.  65 

But  instruction  must  not  take  the  place  of 
recitation.  There  is  more  danger  of  teaching 
too  much  than  too  little.  Discipline  is  the  end 
of  teaching.  The  object  is  not  to  fit  the  pupil 
for  any  one  special  trade,  art  or  profession,  but 
to  teach  him  to  think  and  give  him  the  ability 
honorably  to  fill  any  station  in  life.  The  gain- 
ing of  knowledge  is  a  secondary  consideration. 
It  would  be  better  to  leave  this  entirely  out  of 
the  question,  than  to  have  it  substituted  for 
discipline.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  just  so 
much  instruction  should  be  given  as  is  necessary 
to  save  the  scholar  from  discouragement  and 
make  it  possible  for  him,  by  earnest  and  perse- 
vering effort,  to  accomplish  his  object. 

To  this  end,  let  it  be  suggested,  the  teacher 
should  never  answer  a  question  directly,  that  the 
pupil  has  power  to  answer  ;  should  never  solve 
an  example  that  he  can  solve,  or  remove  a  diffi- 
culty that  he  can  surmount.  It  is  the  instructor's 
business  rather,  to  guide  the  way  and  encourage 
his  pupils  to  make  the  necessary  efforts.  If  they 
ask  for  more  light,  he  should  give  them  only  the 


66  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

twilight ;  if  they  falter,  he  should  sustain  and 
encourage  them,  and  if  they  entirely  fall,  he 
should  help  them  to  rise  again,  and  breathe  into 
them  the  life-giving  spirit  of  courage  and  hope. 
And,  as  far  as  possible,  instruction  should  be 
given  to  classes,  and  not  to  individuals.  This  is 
recommended  as  a  matter  of  economy.  Should 
the  teacher  devote  his  time  to  individuals,  in  a 
school  of  thirty  pupils,  he  could  give  each  only 
twelve  minutes ;  in  a  school  of  sixty,  only  six 
minutes  per  day.  Now  let  the  school  of  sixty 
pupils  be  divided  into  six  classes,  and  the  same 
instruction  given  to  them,  each  would  have  one 
hour  of  the  teacher's  time  every  day,  and  would 
receive  more  benefit  than  from  individual  instruc- 
tion during  the  same  time. 

In  some  instances  individual  instruction  may 
be  given,  but  never  when  the  same  may  as  well 
be  given  before  the  class.  Calls  for  individual 
assistance  (or  questions  of  any  kind)  should 
never  be  allowed  during  class  recitations.  A 
definite  time  should  be  set  apart  for  private 
instruction — such  a  time  as  will  not  disturb  the 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION.  67 

school  or  withdraw  the  attention  of  the  teacher 
from  other  duties. 

Again,  the  instructor  should  teach  subjects 
and  riot  books ;  principles  more  than  facts.  The 
scholar  may  know  all  that  is  contained  in  the 
four  hundred  English  Grammars,  and  yet  be 
ignorant  of  the  science  of  Language.  He  may 
do  all  the  "sums"  [examples]  in. all  the  Arith- 
metics extant,  and  not  understand  the  simplest 
principles  of  Calculation.  Books  are  useful,  but 
not  indispensable.  Like  a  spacious  black-board, 
they  aid  the  teacher  in  his  work  of  systematic 
instruction.  That  they  should  be  used  for  this 
purpose  only,  is  the  thing  recommended.  Atten- 
tion should  be  directed  to  the  principles  of  the 
science  to  be  taught,  which  should  be  fully  and 
clearly  explained. 

It  seems  superfluous  to  suggest  that  instruction 
should  be  thorough.  Yet  such  a  suggestion  is 
often  necessary.  No  principle  or  fact  should  be 
passed  over  until  it  is  well  understood  and  firmly 
fixed  in  the  mind  of  the  pupil.  First  let  the 
teacher  explain  upon  the  black-board,  or  by  the 


68  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

use  of  such  apparatus  as  the  subject  requires,  the 
principles  contained  in  the  lesson.  Then  each 
member  of  the  class  should  be  required  to  repeat 
the  explanation  and  give  the  reasons.  None 
should  be  allowed  to  advance  until  first  principles 
are  thoroughly  understood.  This  suggestion  is 
the  more  important  as  so  little  attention  is  given 
in  our  schools  to  the  elements  of  science.  How 
common  it  is,  when  pupils  leave  the  primary 
school  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  life  or  to  pros- 
ecute their  studies  in  the  seminary  or  college, 
to  find  them  entirely  deficient  in  the  simplest 
principles  of  the  primary  branches.  They  have 
no  practical  knowledge  of  Reading,  Grammar  or 
Arithmetic ;  are  unable  to  explain  principles  or 
apply  facts  in  any  business  transaction,  and  fre- 
quently incapable  of  writing  a  respectable  letter 
to  a  friend.  As  a  consequence,  we  often  find 
scholars  advanced  in  Algebra,  French  and  Music 
who  could  not  explain  simple  subtraction,  or 
sound  correctly  the  vowels  of  our  language. 
This  is  a  sad  commentary  upon  the  qualifications 
and  fidelity  of  our  common  school  teachers,  and 


SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION.  69 

no  time  should  be  lost  or  efforts  spared  to  correct 
the  evil.  The  responsibility  rests  mainly  with 
the  teacher.  He  should  feel  this  responsibility 
and  prepare  himself  for  the  discharge  of  his 
important  duties. 

And  it  is  equally  important  to  teach  correctly. 
Many  do  not  teach  facts  ;  others  give  no  reasons 
for  the  facts  asserted.  Both  these  systems  of 
instruction  are  defective.  For  example,  in  teach- 
ing Arithmetic  we  inquire  of  the  school-boy,  how 
many  fundamental  rules  there  are.  "Four,"  is 
the  reply.  Some  say,  "Six."  (It  must  be  so 
for  the  books  so  have  it.)  But  what  is  Arith- 
metic ?  "The  science  of  numbers."  What  do 
you  mean  by  numbers?  "Any  aggregate  of 
units."  What  can  we  do  with  numbers  ?  "Add 
them  together  [Addition] ,  and  take  them  apart 
or  compare  them  [Subtraction]."  This  is  all 
we  can  do  with  whole  numbers.  Multiplication 
and  Division  are  short  methods  of  adding  and 
subtracting — -not  new  rules.  Addition  and  Sub- 
traction of  Compound  Numbers  and  Duodecimals 
are  but  the  repetition  of  the  simple  rules, 
7 


70  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

I 

under  a  different  law  of  notation.  Addition 
and  Subtraction  of  Fractions  are  only  adding 
and  subtracting  units  which  have  a  nominal 
divisor — the  common  denominator.  In  a  word, 
by  these  two  rules,  or  a  modification  of  them, 
all  the  examples  in  Arithmetic  must  be  solved. 
When  we  leave  these,  Ave  pass  into  Algebra,  or 
other  branches  of  the  higher  mathematics. 

We  inquire  further,  what  is  Simple  Subtrac- 
tion ?  "  The  taking  the  lesser  number  from  the 
greater."  But  we  do  not  change  either  number 
in  the  process.  We  only  compare  the  minuend 
with  the  subtrahend,  and  write  down  the  differ- 
ence or  remainder. 

Subtraction  then,  is  a  comparison  of  two  num- 
bers to  find  the  difference.  But  in  case  the 
lower  figure  in  the  lower  number  is  greater  than 
that  in  the  upper,  how  do  we  perform  the  opera- 
tion ?  "  Borrow  one  [ten  or  a  hundred  as  the 
case  may  be,]  from  the  next  left  hand  figure, 
which  is  added  to  the  figure  in  the  upper  number 
before  subtracting.  Then  carry  one  to  the  next 
left,  lower  figure."  Why  carry  one  ?  "Because 


SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION.  71 

we  borrowed."  But  we  did  not  borrow,  only 
supposed  one  or  ten  to  be  added.  We  carry 
then,  because  we  did  not  borrow — to  cancel  the 
one  not  taken  away,  as  we  supposed. 

Once  more,  what  are  Fractions  ?  "  Broken 
numbers."  What  school-boy  understands  this  ? 
Broken  numbers  are  no  more  fractions,  of  neces- 
sity, than  units.  The  one  piece  of  the  one-third 
of  an  apple  is  as  really  a  unit  as  the  apple  itself. 
The  earth  is  a  unit,  though  it  is  but  a  small  part 
of  the  solar  system. 

In  another  sense  every  finite,  whole  number  is 
a  fraction  or  broken  number.  The  world,  and 
even  the  whole  system  of  worlds  of  which  we 
have  any  knowledge,  are  only  parts  of  one 
"stupendous  whole."  There  is  then,  properly 
speaking,  but  one  unit  in  the  universe,  and  that 
is  the  universe  itself. 

Broken  numbers  cannot  be  fractions,  unless 
considered  as  parts  of  a  greater  whole.  Colbura 
says:  "PARTS  OF  ONE  ARE  CALLED  FRACTIONS." 
This  definition,  properly  explained,  will  leave  the 
pupil  with  correct,  information. 


72  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

The  "  Rule  of  Three "  furnishes  another 
example  of  false  instruction.  Many  authors 
and  teachers  leave  the  impression  upon  the 
learner's  mind  that  the  "Rule  of  Three"  is 
equivalent  to  '.'Proportion."  But  why  called 
the  "  Rule  of  Three  ? "  Doubtless  because 
three  terms  are  used  in  the  solution  of  examples. 
But  what  is  Proportion  ?  "  The  combination  of 
two  equal  ratios."  What  is  ratio  ?  "  The  quo- 
tient arising  from  the  division  of  one  number 
by  another."  It  requires,  therefore,  two  terms 
for  every  ratio,  and/ow  terms  for  every  propor- 
tion. Proportion  is,  then,  the  Rule  of  Four  and 
not  the  "Rule  of  Three." 

But  to  teach  facts  is  not  enough.  To  make 
his  instructions  really  valuable,  the  teacher  must 
give  and  require  the  reasons ;  must  give  the 
"why  and  wherefore"  for  every  statement  capa- 
ble of  demonstration. 

He  has  under  consideration,  for  instance,  the 
Arabic  or  Roman  figures.  He  should  proceed, 
first  of  all,  to  inquire  for  their  origin  and  history. 
The  characters  representing  numbers  were, 


SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION.  73 

originally,  straight  marks,  and  probably  written 
in  the  following  manner  : 

TheArabicj  ||  E  Dd  B  c3  a  3' have 
been  changed  by  degrees  into  their  present  forms, 
1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9.  The  nine  digits  with  the 
[0]  cypher,  constituted  the  characters  by  which 
the  processes  of  calculation  were  carried  on. 

The  Roman  characters  I,  V,  X,  L,  C,  D,  M, 
had  their  origin  also  in  straight  marks.  The  I 
indicated  a  unit.  The  X  was  made  by  the  cross- 
ing of  two  I's  in  counting  ;  thus  I,  I,  I,  I,  I,  I, 
I,  I,  X,  ten  ones.  Of  these  ten  straight  marks, 
the  last  two  [X]  were  made  arbitrarily  to  stand 
for  ten,  and  the  preceding  I's  omitted.  The  V 
is  simply  one-half  of  the  X  (the  upper  half)  in 
form,  as  five  is  half  of  ten.  Three  I's  may 
indicate  one  hundred,  and  may  be  expressed  by 
|  ,  or  (with  the  corners  worn  off)  C.  One-half 
of  [^  (the  lower  half)  gives  us,  in  form,  L,  which 
stands  for  fifty.  Four  I's,  written  in  this  form, 
|  |,  and  afterwards  in  this,  (\/|,  were  made  to 
represent  a  thousand.  And  one-half  of  [~],  or 

D,  represented  five  hundred. 

7* 


74  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

The  combination  of  Roman  characters  was 
expressed  by  addition  and  subtraction.  Thus, 
V=5,  IV=4  or  5—1=4  ;  X=10,  IX=9  or 
10—1=9.  And  VI  or  5+1=6;  XV  or 
10+5=15.  MDCCCXXXIV  or  1000+500 
+300+30+4=1834.  The  nine  digits  were 
probably  so  called  from  the  fact  that  the  fingers 
[digiti~\  were  used  in  counting.  We  have  ten 
characters  representing  numbers,  and  no  more, 
because  the  originators  of  figures  had  ten  thumbs 
and  fingers.  Hence  the  fundamental  law  of 
notation,  "figures  increase  in  ten-fold  ratio." 

But  why  do  these  figures  increase  from  the 
right  toward  the  left  ?  And  why  do  we  begin 
to  add  or  subtract  at  the  right-hand  column  ? 
Simply  as  a  matter  of  convenience,  because  we 
are  "right-handed." 

Such  familiar  illustrations  both  instruct  and 
interest  beginners  in  this  important  science,  as 
also  in  every  other. 

In  conducting  class  recitations,  a  free  use  of 
the  black-board,  both  by  teacher  and  pupils,  is 
very  important.  All  are  thus  instructed  by  a 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION.  75 

single  explanation  and  the  instructions  are  much 
longer  remembered,  because  received  through 
the  sense  of  sight. 

The  teacher  should  never  consent  to  teach 
•without  this  "  black-wall "  on  one  side  of  his 
school-room.  As  far  as  possible  also,  he  should 
have  cube-blocks,  globes  and  maps,  to  aid  in  the 
explanation  of  the  subjects  that  come  before  the 
classes.  And  with  all,  Webster's  or  Worces- 
ter's large  dictionary  should  be  upon  every 
school-desk. 

When  the  subject  will  admit  of  it,  instruction 
by  topics  is  much  to  be  preferred.  This  compels 
the  pupil  to  think  and  reason  for  himself  and 
renders  his  knowledge  available.  If  questions 
are  asked,  they  should  not  imply  the  answer, 
but  should  be  such  as  require  an  independent 
knowledge  of  the  lesson,  to  answer  correctly. 
Questions  should  be  asked  before  the  individual 
is  called  upon  to  answer,  that  the  whole  class 
may  fix  their  attention.  As  the  lesson  cannot 
be  recited  until  it  is  learned,  the  scholar  or  the 
class  should  be  required  to  repeat  the  same,  in 


76  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

all  cases  of  deficiency.  The  habit  of  lecturing 
classes  as  a  substitute  for  recitation  should  never 
be  indulged.  It  tends  to  prevent  suitable  pre- 
paration of  lessons  and  discourage  self-reliance. 
It  substitutes  knowledge  for  discipline  and  thus 
defeats  the  main  object  of  education.  We  shall 
treat  this  subject  more  extensively  in  a  subse- 
quent chapter. 

Frequent  and  thorough  reviews  are  indispens- 
able to  successful  study.  It  is  not  the  number 
of  books  passed  over,  nor  the  length  of  time 
spent  in  school,  but  thoroughness  that  makes  the 
scholar/  Repetition  tends  to  remove  the  dross 
of  knowledge  and  bring  out  the  pure  gold.  It 
makes  sure  what  was  doubtful,  and  firmly  fixes 
the  facts  and  principles  of  science  in  the  mind 
of  the  learner. 

Each  day  there  should  be  a  review  of  the 
previous  day's  lesson ;  at  the  end  of  each  week, 
of  all  that  has  been  studied  during  that  week, 
and  at  the  end  of  each  term,  of  all  that  has 
been  studied  during  that  term.  And  this  study 
and  these  reviews  should  contemplate  a  thorough 


SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION.  77 

public  examination,  and  special  efforts  should  be 
made  to  secure  the  attendance  of  all  parents  and 
friends  in  the  district. 

The  teacher  must  learn  to  discriminate  that 
he  may  adapt  his  instructions  to  different  classes 
of  scholars.  In  every  school  is  found  a  great 
variety  of  capacities,  dispositions  and  attain- 
ments. Every  such  peculiarity  requires  peculiar 
treatment  and  instruction,  and  the  teacher  must 
so  understand  human  nature  and  the  phenomena 
of  school-life,  that  he  can  adapt  his  teaching  to 
the  wants  and  necessities  of  each. 

The  roots  of  all  knowledge  are  and  must  be 
bitter.  That  study  which  will  benefit,  must 
require  effort,  as  already  suggested.  The  mind 
must  be  tasked  to  be  disciplined ;  it  must  be 
disciplined  to  be  educated.  If,  then,  we  find 
scholars  whose  tasks  are  all  easy,  so  easy  that  it 
costs  little  effort  to  learn  their  lessons,  we  should 
lay  upon  them  greater  burdens  ;  should  rouse 
them  to  loftier  aspirations.  The  mother  eagle 
is  said  to  push  her  eaglet  out  of  its  nest  for  the 
purpose  of  teaching  it  to  fly.  It  were  .much 


78  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

better  that  it  be  exposed  to  fall,  than  not  to  learn 
to  fly.  So  must  our  easj,  fluent  pupils  be  taught 
how  to  make  application,  that  they  may  train 
and  develop  their  untried  powers,  and  gain 
strength  for  the  duties  of  manhood. 

Another  class  of  scholars  are  quick  and  pene- 
trating, but  unpardonably  self-sufficient.  They 
are  proud  to  appear  well  in  recitations  but  anx- 
ious to  have  it  understood  that  they  have  given 
little  or  no  attention  to  the  lessons. 

Such  scholars  should  be  proved  with  hard 
questions.  Let  the  teacher  expose  their  weak- 
ness and  show  them  the  difference  between  sound 
scholarship,  and  flippant,  boisterous  pretensions. 
Let  him  entangle  them  in  mazes  like  flies  in  a 
cobweb,  until  they  learn  their  true  position  and 
are  willing  to  apply  themselves  as  none  will  do 
who  feel  that  they  have  already  attained  to  per- 
fection. Thus  may  flaws  be  ground  away  from 
the  diamond.  "  Vexatio  dot  intellectum" 

We  have  an  example  from  a  teacher  of 
Physiology.  A  member  of  his  class  had  fre- 
quently annoyed  him  by  this  self-sufficient  spirit. 


SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION.  79 

On  one  occasion  he  asked  this  pupil,  "  What  is 
the  use  of  the  spleen  ?  "  After  some  delay,  he 
answered,  "  I  have  once  known,  but  really,  I 
have  now  forgotten  ! "  "  Here  is  a  marvelous 
thing,"  replied  the  instructor;  "downward  from 
the  age  of  Hippocrates,  all  physicians  have 
inquired  the  use  of  the  spleen,  but  have  been 
baffled  throughout  sixty  generations ;  yet  you,  a 
beardless  youth,  have  made  the  wonderful  discov- 
ery, and  not  only  so,  but  have  not  even  thought 
it  worth  retaining  in  your  memory !  The  medi- 
cal world  would  have  made  a  universal  jubilee 
in  view  of  such  a  discovery,  but  you  have  for- 
gotten it  altogether." 

Jeremy  Taylor  has  said,  "  So  have  I  known  a 
luxuriant  vine  to  swell  into  irregular  twigs  and 
bold  excrescences,  and  spread  itself  in  leaves 
and  little  rings,  and  afford  but  trifling  clusters 
to  the  wine-press ;  but  when  the  vine-dresser 
had  cut  the  wilder  plant  and  made  it  bleed,  it 
grew  temperate  in  its  vain  expense  of  useless 
leaves,  and  knotted  into  fair  and  juicy  branches 
and  made  account  of  the  loss  of  blood  by  the 


80  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

return  of  fruit."  Thus  it  is  in  the  culture  of 
mind.  Prune  off  the  leaves  and  useless  twigs 
of  self-conceit,  and  the  fruit  of  true  scholarship 
will  appear. 

Another  class  of  pupils  are  fearful  and  self- 
distrusting.  They  meet  difficulties  on  every 
hand,  but  discover  in  themselves  no  ability  to 
overcome  them.  Such  scholars  need  special 
encouragement.  They  can  be  assured  that  their 
failures  may  prove  as  beneficial  to  them  in  point 
of  discipline,  as  would  their  success.  It  is  not 
the  finding  of  truth,  but  the  search  for  it,  that 
educates  the  mind.  Hence  inferior  scholars,  as 
they  appear  in  the  class-room,  often  turn  out 
superior  men  in  life.  They  have  shown  less 
brilliantly  than  their  fellows  in  recitation,  but 
have  really  made  more  efforts,  and  hence  gained 
more  practical  benefit  than  they.  They  have 
received  from  their  teacher  less  information  but 
more  encouragement  and  inspiration;  this  is 
what  they  most  needed. 

For  such  pupils,  the  instructor  should  bend 
down  the  branches  of  the  tree  of  knowledge, 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION.  81 

but  leave  them  the  toil  of  plucking  the  fruit. 
He  should  lead  them  by  degrees  into  the  diffi- 
culties they  have  to  encounter.  As  they  enter 
the  path  that  leads  up  the  hill  of  science,  they 
will  see  but  a  small  part  of  the  hight  to  be 
scaled.  If,  when  they  have  surmounted  one 
ridge,  another  appears,  it  seems  but  one  more. 
If,  as  they  ascend, 

"  Hills  peep  o'er  hills  and  Alps  on  Alps  arise," 
they  will  gradually  have  gained  strength  and 
courage  to  encounter  greater  difficulties  and 
overcome  greater  obstacles,  till,  at  length,  they 
can  brave  the  glacier  and  the  avalanche  with 
the  fearlessness  ot  a  Hannibal  or  a  Kane. 

Still  other  scholars  load  their  tasks  with  need- 
less difficulties  ;  like  the  foreigner  who  dined 
at  a  Yankee  table.  A  boiled  ear  of  Indian  corn 
was  placed  before  him.  "  Ignorant  of  the  usual 
method  of  chewing  the  corn  and  eschewing  the 
cob,  he  began  at  the  lictle  end  and  ate  it,  as  one 
would  eat  a  radish,  cob  and  all." 

The  teacher  should  aim  to  remove  such  need- 
less difficulties,  and  to  show  the  scholar  how  to 
8 


82  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

direct  his  efforts  and  apply  his  energies.  With 
this  power  of  discrimination  and  adaptation  to 
the  disposition  and  circumstances  of  his  pupils, 
the  instructor  will  be  eminently  successful ;  with- 
out it,  he  can  but  fail. 

That  it  is  the  right  and  duty  of  every  teacher 
to  impart  moral  instruction,  may  here  be  taken 
for  granted. 

It  were  enough  to  know  that  the  object  of  the 
school  is  not  to  form  scholars  merely,  but  to  form 
and  develop  men,  citizens,  immortal  beings. 
These  citizens  are  to  constitute  the  community 
and  the  state.  And  what  would  be  the  condition 
of  that  state  which  has  no  regard  for  justice, 
integrity,  truth,  reverence,  and  no  fear  of  God 
before  their  eyes  ? 

The  answer  to  this  question  is  written  in  char- 
acters of  blood  on  many  pages  of  the  world's 
history.  And,  if  we  would  avoid  a  future 
"Reign  of  Terror"  in  America,  our  Common 
Schools  must  be  nurseries  of  sound  Bible  moral- 
ity. It  must  be  the  teacher's  business,  then,  to 
give  regular  and  systematic  moral  instruction. 


SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION.  83 

It  is  his  to  aid  in  laving  deep  the  foundations  of 
of  public  justice  ;  in  giving  that  profound  and 
quick  sense  of  the  sacredness  of  right  and  the 
everlasting  obligations  of  truth,  without  which 
law  has  no  sanctity,  private  contracts  no  binding 
force,  the  pulpit  no  reverence,  justice  no  author- 
ity. In  a  word,  it  is  his  to  exert  such  an  influ- 
ence, and  inculcate  such  principles  as  will  tend 
to  save  our  youth  from  vice  and  crime,  and 
preserve  and  fit  them  for  the  duties  of  private 
and  public  life. 

How,  then,  shall  this  moral  instruction  be 
given?  First  of  all  and  at  all  times,  the  les- 
sons of  morality  should  be  taught  by  the  influ- 
ence of  good  example. 

Moral  and  Christian  character  is  an  indis- 
pensable qualification  of  the  teacher.,  because, 
without  such  a  character,  he  cannot  exert  a 
wholesome  influence  over  his  pupils.  In  vain 
does  he  preach  homilies  upon  virtue  and  good- 
ness, or  attempt  to  enforce  moral  lessons,  while 
he  himself  is  reckless  and  profane.  If,  however, 
he  is  interested  in  the  subject,  if  his  moral 


84  SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION. 

sentiments  are  in  a  state  of  healthy  activity,  his 
whole  deportment  will  declare  it ;  every  thought 
and  feeling  that  pervade  his  soul  will  be  expressed 
in  his  words,  tones  and  actions. 

And  if  such  be  his  character,  he  will  seek  for 
modes  to  benefit  his  pupils  by  moral  instruction. 
Nor  will  he  fail  to  find  them. 

When  contriving  ways  to  impart  moral  instruc- 
tion, the  teacher  should  not  forget  that  the 
BIBLE  is  the  source  of  all  genuine  morality. 
To  this  he  must  appeal  for  authority,  from 
whatever  source  his  moral  lessons  are  derived. 
It  is  no  part  of  his  business  to  teach  dogmas  or 
creeds,  but  he  may  impart  the  soul-inspiring 
principles  and  pure  morality  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. These  gems  of  wisdom  lie  scattered  all 
over  his  field  of  labor,  but  like  the  drifting 
rocks  from  the  mountain  quarry,  they  have  one 
common  locality — the  Bible. 

It  is  not  recommended  that  the  Scriptures 
should  be  used  as  a  common  reading-book  in 
school,  but  for  moral  and  religious  purposes 
only.  The  teacher  should,  if  possible,  leave 


SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION.  85 

the  impression  upon  the  minds  of  his  pupils  that 
the  Bible  is  sacred,  unlike  all  other  books,  and 
infinitely  more  valuable.  Then  will  its  instruc- 
tions be  clothed  with  authority  and  power,  and 
its  influence  be  salutary  and  sanctifying. 

Cases  are  constantly  occurring  in  the  school- 
room from  which  moral  instructions  may  be 
drawn.  These  should  all  be  improved.  Every 
violation  of  moral  duties  in  the  intercourse  of 
pupils,  should  be  made  the  occasion  of  imparting 
moral  lessons.  Falsehood,  injustice  and  profan- 
ity are  among  the  bad  habits  of  scholars.  The 
teacher  should  correct  these  habits  in  such  a  way 
that  the  whole  school  may  be  benefited.  He 
should  expose  in  a  mild  and  solemn  manner,  the 
folly,  sinfulness  and  degrading  tendency  of  such 
conduct,  and  at  the  same  time,  appeal  to  the 
conscience,  wake  up,  if  he  can,  the  slumbering 
sense  of  obligation,  and  thus  give  tone  to  public 
sentiment  in  school.  Make  such  conduct  unpop- 
ular, and  it  will  not  be  indulged  in ;  make  the 
offender  feel  that  he  has  wronged  himself  and 
his  school-mates,  and  he  will  not  be  likely  to 


86  SCHOOL   INSTRUCTION. 

repeat  the  act.  The  delicate  conscience  of  the 
child  is  quick  to  perceive  the  wrong,  and  if 
aroused,  will  incline  him  to  cultivate  the  better 
qualities  of  the  soul  by  the  practice  of  virtue. 

The  teacher  may  employ  all  legitimate  motives 
to  accomplish  his  object,  and  he  should  discrimi- 
nate in  the  selection  and  application  of  motives, 
as  circumstances  require. 

The  lessons  of  school  present  frequent  occa- 
sions for  moral  instruction.  Science,  Philosophy 
and  History  abound  in  moral  sentiments.  In- 
deed, there  is  a  moral  in  everything ;  in  every 
lesson  recited,  in  every  school-exercisa,  in  every 
action,  thought  and  feeling  of  school-life,  in 
every  incident  that  occurs  in  the  busy  world 
around  us,  and  it  is  the  business  of  the  teacher 
to  gather  up  and  apply  these  moral  elements  for 
the  benefit  of  those  committed  to  his  care.  In 
what  particular  manner  such  facts  and  incidents 
should  be  employed,  must  be  left  to  the  good 
sense  of  the  instructor,  who  is  presumed  to  be 
interested  and  anxious  for  the  improvement  and 
welfare  of  his  pupils. 


SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION.  87 

But  moral  instruction  is  too  important  to 
depend  upon  casual  circumstances.  A  specific 
time  should  be  set  apart  for  some  appropriate 
exercise  of  this  kind. 

In  connection  with  the  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, the  teacher  may  explain  and  enforce 
their  great  cardinal  principles.  Such  exercises 
must  of  course,  be  short  and  interesting  to 
be  profitable,  and  may  be  varied  according  to 
circumstances  ;  but  no  conscientious  teacher 
will  neglect  or  trifle  with  a  duty  so  plain  and 
important. 

Such  instructions  in  no  way  interfere  with  the 
different  religious  opinions  that  may  be  enter- 
tained in  the  district,  nor  do  they  tend  to  secta- 
rian results.  Moral  and  religious  instruction  in 
schools  is  merely  a  war  upon  Atheism.  Its 
design  and  tendency  is  to  purify  and  elevate 
the  affections,  to  regulate  the  conscience  and  to 
guide  and  control  the  whole  moral  being ;  to  fit 
the  citizen  for  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of 
a  Christian  community,  and  the  immortal  man 
for  the  blessings  of  a  higher  life. 


88  SCHOOL  INSTRUCTION. 

Nor  do  such  instructions  retard  intellectual 
education.  Indeed,  moral  culture  is  indispens- 
able to  true  greatness  and  aids  in  the  develop- 
ment and  growth  of  mind,  as  the  heat  and  light 
of  the  sun  aid  in  the  growth  of  vegetation.  A 
plant  will  grow  without  these  influences,  in  the 
dark  cellar,  but  its  growth  is  unnatural  and 
distorted.  It  may  be  as. large  as  the  one  whose 
roots  have  been  nourished  upon  the  hill-side,  and 
whose  leaves  have  felt  the  gentle  breeze  and 
glorious  sunlight  of  heaven, — but  it  can  have 
none  of  its  health  and  vigor.  So  the  intellec- 
tual man  may  be  great,  but  it  is  the  greatness 
of  a  BURR,  a  BYRON  or  a  PAINE  !  The  world 
has  felt  the  influence  of  too  many  such  men. 
The  true  man  has  a  sound  body  and  a  highly 
cultivated  mind  and  heart.  His  passions  are  in 
subjection  to  self-love,  self-love  to  conscience, 
and  conscience  to  the  word  and  will  of  God. 
Such  should  be  the  result  of  Common  School 
education. 


VI. 

STUDY  AND  RECITATION. 

DISCIPLINE  is  not  only  the  end  of  teaching, 
as  was  asserted  in  a  previous  chapter,  but  also 
of  study  and  recitation. 

This  theory  of  education,  we  are  aware,  is  at 
war  with  the  views  of  many  modern  teachers. 
They  claim  to  have  found  a  more  excellent  way ; 
have  substituted  listening  for  study,  lecturing  for 
recitation  and  knowledge  for  discipline.  They 
strive  by  every  means  in  their  power,  to  lighten 
the  scholar's  labors  and  to  shorten  his  course  of 
study.  But  all  such  theories  are  visionary,  and 
all  such  efforts  vain.  Mere  knowledge  of  books, 
or  of  "men  and  things,"  however  accurate  and 
extensive,  cannot  educate  the  human  mind,  nor 
fit  it  to  struggle  with  the  stern  realities  of  life. 
Long  and  patient  application,  is  the  only  condi- 
tion of  desirable  attainments.  Education  is  not 
a  process  of  gaming  information  merely,  but  the 


90  STUDY   AND   RECITATION. 

cultivation  and  development  of  all  the  powers  of 
body,  mind  and  soul.  Knowledge  is  of  great 
practical  benefit  to  an  educated  mind,  but  must 
not  be  mistaken  for  education  itself.  The  well 
disciplined,  with  the  same  amount  of  knowledge, 
has  the  advantage  a  thousand  times  over  the 
undisciplined. 

This  truth  is  clearly  illustrated  by  the  follow- 
ing comparison  by  a  learned  author :  "  Let 
two  young  persons,  equal  in  all  respects,  be 
selected  and  separately  educated  ;  let  the  period 
be  for  the  same  term  of  years,  but  not  less  than 
five  nor  more  than  ten  ;  let  one  be  trained  in  the 
modern  system  of  knowledge,  and  the  other  in 
any  system  of  the  severe  old  school,  rod-enforced, 
self-exerting,  spirit-trying,  patience-provoking, 
labor-causing,  toil-producing,  but  specially  in 
the  system  directly  to  be  recommended ;  then 
launch  both  the  pupils,  at  the  same  time  and  in 
the  same  circumstances  of  poverty  and  destitu- 
tion, into  the  troubled  waters  of  life.  The 
latter  shall  be  seen,  swimming,  or  wading,  or 
walking,  as  the  tide  demands  or  admits ;  the 


STUDY  AND   RECITATION.  91 

former,  floating,  or  driven  at  the  mercy  of  the 
winds,  mired  or  sinking !  Or  let  both  pursue  a 
professional  or  literary  life.  The  truly  disci- 
plined, with  even  less  knowledge,  shall  very 
soon  excel  the  other  in  any  assigned  task  ;  shall 
if  necessary,  excel  him  in  acquiring  knowledge, 
and  this  with  so  much  ease,  that  ten  years  after 
academical  training  shall  have  ended,  the  world 
will  ascribe  the  difference  not  to  the  opposite 
elementary  training,  but  to  differences  in  native 
intellectual  powers." 

Study  and  recitation  are  the  principal  means 
by  which  the  desirable  results  of  education  are 
secured  ;  these  constitute  the  business  of  the 
school-room.  Study  is  the  exercise  of  acquir- 
ing; recitation,  that  of  expression. 

Which  is  the  most  important  for  discipline,  we 
will  not  here  undertake  to  decide.  And  whether 
study  is  more  necessary  as  a  preparation  for  a 
scood  recitation,  than  a  well  conducted  recitation 

O  7 

is  for  successful  study,  may  be  doubtful. 

The  distinctive  duties  of  teacher  and  pupil, 
must  be  well  understood  and  constantly  kept  in 


92  STUDY   AND    RECITATION. 

view.  Both  study  and  recitation  belong  to  the 
pupil  exclusively.  The  teacher  should  conduct 
the  recitation,  but  he  should  never  recite  the 
lesson  ;  he  may  stimulate  the  mind  and  direct 
the  studies  of  his  class,  but  he  cannot  study  for 
them. 

Recitations  differ  in  kind  with  the  nature  of 
the  ideas  to  be  recited.  They  may  be  forms  or 
sounds  and  their  arrangement,  as  alphabets, 
spelling-lessons  and  paradigms  ;  they  may  be  the 
meaning  and  relation  of  words,  as  in  the  trans- 
lation and  analysis  of  sentences  ;  or  they  may 
be  figures  and  signs  for  the  expression  of  mathe- 
matical and  other  abstract  truths. 

The  form  of  recitation  differs  with  the  age, 
ability  and  classification  of  the  pupils.  Different 
teachers  may  not  conduct  the  same  recitations 
exactly  alike,  and  the  same  teacher  will  vary 
his  form  for  the  sake  of  variety  and  to  avoid 
monotony.  But  however  extensive  this  variety 
and  numerous  the  modifying  circumstances,  there 
is  ordinarily  but  a  single  object  to  be  gained, 
viz.:  the  expression  of  pupil's  thoughts,  or  the 


STUDY   AND   RECITATION.  93 

thoughts  which  he  has  made  his  own  by  study, 
embodied  in  his  oivn  language. 

Some  captions,  mathematical  definitions  and 
fixed  rules  can  be  better  expressed  in  the  words 
of  the  author,  but  in  all  other  cases  and  in  the 
various  kinds  of  recitation,  the  language  of  the 
pupil  is  much  to  be  preferred.  That  teacher 
who  would  make  scholars  worthy  of  the  name, 
must  labor  to  employ  the  mind  as  a  depository 
of  thoughts  and  not  of  mere  words  and  signs. 

Recitation  has  its  origin  in  nature,  and  is 
always  practiced  in  childhood.  As  soon  as  the 
child  begins  to  think,  he  begins  to  express  his 
thoughts  to  others;  that  expression  is  recitation. 
His  desire  to  know  and  to  make  known,  grow  up 
in  the  mind  together,  and  if  properly  cultivated 
in  the  family  and  school,  will  result  in  sound 
scholarship  and  thorough  discipline.  Whatever 
the  child  learns  he  is  sure  to  communicate.  He 
does  not  wait  to  be  questioned  nor  attempt  to 
use  borrowed  language,  yet  he  never  fails  to 
express  his  thoughts  so  as  to  be  fully  understood. 
All  the  ideas  that  enter  into  his  mind  are 


94  STUDY   AND   RECITATION. 

immediately  formed  into  words,  looks  and  actions. 
And  if  parents  refuse  to  listen,  the  child  tells 
his  story  to  a  favorite  doll  or  a  pet  dog,  with  all 
the  enthusiasm  of  an  actress  on  the  stage,  or  an 
orator  in  the  Senate. 

At  this  early  period  lessons  are  learned  from" 
observation,   and    recited    without  reference   to 
grammatical  and  rhetorical  rules.     But  they  are 
none  the  less  beneficial. 

The  child  learns  to  think  by  the  exercise  of 
his  perceptive  faculties  ;  he  dwells  upon  images 
of  his  owfi  creation,  invents  his  little  stories, 
*?itnd  thus  cultivates  the  imagination  ;  he  com- 
pares facts  and  forms  conclusions,  and  in  this 
way  calls  into  exercise  his  reasoning  powers. 
And  all  these  thoughts,  from  whatever  source 
derived  and  however  formed,  are  recited  again 
and  again,  and  thus  he  learns  to  talk.  We  are 
astonished  sometimes  to  observe  how  rapidly  chil- 
dren learn  the  use  of  language,  but  find  the  rea- 
son in  the  fact  that  they  are  incessantly  talking. 

And  why  should  this  natural  process  of  learn- 
ing and  reciting  in  the  nursery,  be  entirely 


STUDY   AND   RECITATION.  95 

discarded  in  the  school-room  ?  The  pupil  in 
the  school  and  the  student  in  the  college,  is 
only  the  child  matured  by  age.  He  has  substi- 
tuted books  for  playthings,  study  for  observation, 
and  class-recitation  for  the  spontaneous  rehearsal 
of  his  childish  thoughts.  But  why  now  pervert 
the  means  of  education  so  nobly  begun  ?  why 
change  the  recitation  into  a  lecture  or  an  exam- 
ination, and  thus  defeat  the  very  object  to  be 
gained  ?  Would  the  parent  undertake  to  teach 
his  child  to  walk  or  talk  by  lecturing  or  ques- 
tioning on  the  subject  ?  Would  he  not,  rather, 
require  him  to  exercise  his  own  powers  and  fac- 
ulties, as  the  only  means  of  learning  these 
important  arts  ?  The  answer  is  obvious  and  the 
comparison  instructive.  The  scholar  must  learn 
by  study,  and  recite  independently  of  his  instruc- 
tor, if  he  would  be  benefited  by  the  exercise. 
Let  the  teacher  then,  observe  the  habits  of  early 
childhood  and  he  will  not  mistake  the  true  theory 
of  class-recitation. 

Study  and  recitation  are  for  the  mind  what 
food  and  exercise  are  for  the  body.    The  physical 


96 


STUDY   AXD   RECITATION. 


energies  cannot  be  developed  without  exercise  ; 
yet,  exercise  without  food,  would  not  give 
bodily  strength  and  vigor.  By  study  the  mind 
is  fed  with  knowledge,  and  by  recitation  its  fac- 
ulties are  called  into  vigorous  action.  Natural 
love  for  play  inspires  the  child  to  spend  all  his 
waking  hours  in  physical  activity.  He  knows 
HO  rest ;  is  always  running,  jumping,  skating, 
sliding,  or  like  "  Our  Charley,"  is  "  tooting, 
nding,  hammering,  singing,  meddling  and 
asking  questions."  Here  indeed,  we  have  the 
only  example  of  perpetual  motion  yet  discovered, 
ut  there  is  no  other  condition  of  physical  health 


love  of  knowledge  gives  the  child 
a  fondness  for  observation,  reflection  and  study, 
and  a  natural  -desire  to  communicate  leads  him 

\\    \      •  \\    ^»      \V\\  \      i        ^^s. ' L^  \ 

to  rehearse  to  othera  his  every  thought.  And 
•  whose  glowing,  youthful 
een  checked  by  the  iiidif- 


scli 


happy  is 

enthusiasm  has  not  I 

ference  or  stupidity  of  his  teachers. 

It  is  by  these  two  processes,  study  ami  reci- 
tation, that\the  mind   gro'tvs  from  infancy  to 


STUDY  AND   RECITATION.  97 

manhood.  By  these  alone  the  prattling  boj 
that  once  played  around  the  farm-house,  "  amid 
the  snow  drifts  of  New  Hampshire,"  became  a 
man  who  afterwards  thundered  in  the  Senate, 
and  gained  the  audience  of  an  admiring  world. 

Study  and  recitation  are  exercises  not  only 
for  the  nursery  and  school-room,  but  also  for  the 
drawing-room,  the  lyceum  and  the  work-shop. 
And  if  under  the  direction  of  intelligent  teachers 
in  early  life,  every  opportunity  will  be  improved 
for  ripening  scholarship  and  perfecting  character, 
until  the  great  work  of  education  is  finished. 
The  object  of  recitation  is  not  merely  to  enable 
the  instructor  to  examine  and  correct  the  mem- 
bers of  his  class ;  it  is  in  itself  an  important 
exercise  and  indispensable  as  a  means  of  dis- 
cipline. 

Erroneous  views  as  to  the  object  to  be  gained, 
have  led  to  wrong  methods  of  conducting  recita- 
tion. The  Socratic  method  is  too  often  adopted 
in  our  schools,  and  the  whole  hour  spent  in  asking 
"  leading  questions."  This  is  not  tolerated  even 

in  the  examination  of  witnesses  in  the  court- 
9 


98  STUDY   AND   RECITATION. 

room ;  much  less  should  it  be  allowed  in  the 
school.  If  a  knowledge  of  the  lesson  was  all 
that  is  desirable,  and  to  learn  whether  the  pupils 
have  studied  faithfully,  the  only  object  of  the 
recitation,  questioning  would  be  the  most  expe- 
ditious method  of  reaching  the  result.  But  this 
is  not  the  case,  as  will  appear  in  the  course  of 
our  suggestions. 

Moreover,  scholars  may  answer  questions  with 
only  a  partial  knowledge  of  the  lesson  ;  yet, 
they  can  have  no  distinct  ideas  upon  the  subject ; 
they  feel  no  interest  and  hence  receive  no  profit. 
Such  pupils  are  in  the  condition  of  a  stagnant 
well  of  water,  waiting  to  be  pumped,  or  like  a 
dead  body  before  a  coroner's  jury,  about  to 
undergo  a  post  mortem  examination. 

It  is  allowable  to  ask  questions  in  connection 
with  recitation  for  the  purposes  specified,  and 
sometimes  for  the  sake  of  variety,  but  still  it 
must  be  remembered  that  the  teacher's  ques- 
tioning is  not  the  scholar's  reciting.  Whenever 
the  habit  is  indulged  it  is  attended  with  injurious 
consequences.  Yet  in  how  many  of  our  schools 


STUDY  AND   RECITATION.  99 

is  a  better  system  adopted  ?  The  oral  method 
of  instruction  is  equally  objectionable.  The 
familiar  illustration  and  formal  lecture  have 
their  own  time  and  place  in  the  process  of  edu- 
cation, but  they  must  not  consume  the  time  set 
apart  for  study  or  recitation.  These  occupy 
the  foreground  in  every  good  school,  and  must 
have  the  first  attention.  That  teacher  who 
spends  the  hour  in  explaining  and  repeating 
what  the  class  can  learn  and  recite,  has  mista- 
ken his  duty ;  if  he  aims  to  amuse  them  by 
interesting  lectures,  he  does  them  positive  harm. 
He  may  gain  a  reputation  for  his  learning  and 
"  aptness  to  teach,"  but  alas  !  his  pupils  receive 
neither  credit  nor  advantage.  Explanations 
should  be  made  only  to  remove  positive  difficul- 
ties and  should  always  be  regarded  as  aids  to 
study.  Lectures  are  designed  more  particu- 
larly to  communicate  information,  and  are  ap- 
propriate only  when  knowledge  is  the  object  in 
view. 

But  recitation  has  important  uses  of  its  own, 
and  one  of  these  is  to  induce  study. 


100  STUDY   AND   RECITATION. 

How  many  lessons  would  be  learned  in  any 
school  if  no  recitations  were  required  ?  How 
much  knowledge  or  discipline  would  be  gained 
by  hard  study,  if  the  pupils  understood  before- 
hand that  the  hour  for  recitation  would  be 
occupied  by  the  teacher  in  lecturing  or  asking 
questions  ? 

No  person  of  experience  in  school-life  can  fail 
to  answer  these  questions  correctly ;  all  must 
acknowledge  that  in  the  case  supposed  one  of 
the  strongest  motives,  to  study  is  removed.  But 
let  these  pupils  know  that  the  lesson  must  not 
only  be  learned,  but  recited  and  explained  to 
others,  and  a  deep  interest  and  an  earnest  appli- 
cation will  be  the  result.  And  this  influence  is 
felt  not  merely  upon  the  indolent,  but  upon  every 
class  of  scholars  and  under  all  circumstances. 

The  second  advantage  of  recitation  here  to  be 
noticed,  is  its  power  to  give  distinctness  and 
vividness  to  acquired  knowledge.  The  pupil's 
thoughts  are  not  clear  and  firmly  fixed  in  his 
mind  until  they  are  in  a  form  to  be  recited. 
For  this  reason  the  young  teacher  always  makes 


STUDY  AND   RECITATION.  101 

more  improvement  in  the  branches  studied  than 
his  scholars.  He  is  often  surprised  to  observe 
how  much  better  he  understands  the  subject  for 
teaching  it ;  how  much  more  vivid  his  concep- 
tions and  how  much  longer  remembered.  The 
lessons  must,  therefore,  be  recited  or  not  under- 
stood, and  that  teacher  who  adopts  a  wrong 
method  of  conducting*  recitation,  withholds  one 
of  the  surest  remedies!  for  superficial  scholarship. 
Indeed,  should  all  possibility  of  giving  expres- 
sion to  thoughts  be  removed,  the  strongest  motive 
for  thinking  would  be  taken  away.  Our  ideas 
would  become  dull  and  confused,  and  it  is 
doubtful  whether  we  should  long  have  any  ideas 
at  all. 

The  utility  and  importance  of  recitation  as  an 
incentive  to  study  and  as  a  means  of  rendering 
conceptions  distinct  and  permanent,  is  further 
illustrated  in  the  habits  of  social  life.  Tb  3  is 
no  motive  so  strong  to  induce  careful  reading 
among  the  educated,  as  the  hope  of  enjoying 
companionship  with  the  cultivated  and  refined, 
or  ^e  xpectation  of  joining  a  literary  circle  in 


102  STUDY   AND   RECITATION. 

the  drawing-room  where  free  conversation  is 
indulged  upon  educational  subjects.  $o  scholar 
would  study  with  so  much  earnestness  and  profit 
the  English  classics,  ADDISON,  JOHNSON,  MILTON 
and  SHAKSPEARE,  or  make  himself  so  familiar 
with  DICKENS,  as  he  who  had  been  called  upon 
to  write  an  essay  upon  English  taste,  character 
or  manners. 

No  Statesman  understands  American  politics 
and  policy  so  well  as  he  who  has  become  the 
leader  and  orator  of  his  party.  And  among  the 
less  cultivated  but  really  intelligent  yeomanry, 
nothing  so  stimulates  to  mental  exertion  as  the 
informal  gatherings  in  village  and  neighborhood, 
where  the  young  and  the  old  indulge  in  a  free 
rehearsal  of  all  they  have  ever  seen,  or  heard, 
or  felt.  And  what  should  we  know  of  the  -men- 
tal capacity  of  loafers  in  the  bar-room  or  work- 
shop, but  for  their  free  discussions  upon  the 
politics,  religion  and  good  morals  of  the  commu- 
nity. And  how  could  the  village  gossip  keep 
alive  his  brilliant  thoughts,  and  render  more 
vigorous  his  active  mind,  except  by  the  daily 


STUDY  AND   RECITATION.  103 

recitation   of  the  mistakes  and   foibles  of  his 
erring  neighbors  ?     And  even  the  man 

"  Who  never  had  a  dozen  thoughts 

In  all  his  life,        *        *        * 

told  them  o'er,  each  in  its  'customed  place, 

From  morn  till  night,  from  youth  to  hoary  age." 

But  the  relation  of  recitation  to  study  is  not 
its  most  important  use,  and  for  the  reason  that 
knowledge  is  not  the  end  of  education. 

According  to  the  popular  theory,  education  is 
filling  up  the  mind  as  one  would  fill  up  a  cistern 
with  water,  or  the  stomach  with  food.  If  we 
wish  to  improve  the  condition  of  a  horse,  it  ia 
admitted  that  we  should  resort  to  the  filling  up 
process.  The  animal  would  be  kept  in  a  passive 
position  and  his  stomach  filled  with  nutrative 
fodder.  And  in  the  process  of  time,  he  would 
exhibit  all  the  animation  and  beauty  of  Alexan- 
der's Bucephalus,  as  the  result  of  careful  train- 
ing. But  the  human  mind  is  not  a  horse. 

Many  a  fond  parent  predicts  that  his  son  will 
become  a  great  man  because  he  is  a  great 
reader.  He  might  expect  him  to  fatten  if  he  ia 
a  great  eater,  but  knowledge  does  not  improve 


104  STUDY  AXD   RECITATION. 

the  mind  in  the  same  manner  as  food  ^s  the 
body.  Still,  many  teachers  insist  that  •- Q  .ca- 
tion is  storing  the  mind  with  useful  knowledge." 
And  why  not  add,  to  complete  the  figure,  that 
plr  _)al  education  is  storing  the  body  with  use- 
ful ..od? 

The  ancients  were  trained  for  the  athletic 
games,  by  vigorous  and  systematic  exercise. 
This  alone  can  give  to  the  arm  strength  and 
dexterity;  to  the  vocal  organs  the  power  of 
expression  in  the  production  of  harmonious 
sounds,  and  to  the  whole  physical  system  that 
vigor,  energy  and  skill  necessary  to  accomplish 
the  object  of  its  creation.  So  the  exercise  of 
thinking  and  reciting  gives  the  vigor  and  strength 
of  intellectual  manhood ;  gives  the  power  to 
acquire  and  use  knowledge,  and  every  other 
advantage  of  a  practical  education. 

Recitation  has,  therefore,  for  its  principal 
object  the  improvement  of  the  faculties  which  it 
calls  into  exercise  ;  it  creates  the  ability  to  give 
expression  to  ideas  in  conversation,  writing, 
oratory  and  work.  And  that  recitation  which 


STUDY   AND   RECITATION.  105 

is  best  adapted  to  give  readiness,  skill  and  power 
in  the  expression  of  thoughts,  is  equally  fitted 
to  promote  earnest  and  accurate  thinking. 

But  some  ideas  cannot  be  expressed  in  words 
—  they  require  execution.  Hence  the  impor- 
tance of  working  examples,  drawing  diagrams 
and  maps,  performing  experiments  in  the  sciences 
and  of  practice  in  the^  arts.  Still,  language 
furnishes  the  chief  means  of  expression,  and, 
therefore,  the  cultivation  of  the  "faculty  of  dis- 
course" should  be  the  main  object  of  recitation. 

But,  as  has  been  suggested,  modern  improve- 
ment has  invented  a  labor-saving  process  in  the 
cultivation  of  mind.  The  time  seems  too  long 
and  the  labor  too  hard  to  our  visionaries,  for 
acquiring  an  education.  They  have  marked 
the  improvements  of  the  age :  the  rearing  of 
factories  to  manufacture  our  fabrics ;  the  con- 
struction of  engines  to  traverse  the  land  and 
navigate  the  water ;  the  making  of  machines  to 
stitch  our  garments,  to  cut  and  thrash  our  grain, 
to  write  our  letters  and  transmit  our  thoughts  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye  to  the  ends  of  the  earth ; 
10 


106  STUDY   AND   RECITATION. 

and  hence  they  infer  that  there  may  be  machines 
for  cultivating  mind  and  manufacturing  thought. 
But  all  such  views  betray  an  alarming  ignorance 
as  to  the  nature  and  object  of  education. 

The  growing  of  trees  in  the  forest  requires  as 
much  time  now  as  in  the  days  of  Plato.  It  still 
requires  an  hundred  years,  even  in  the  fertile 
soitofyaung  America,  fjpr  the  growth  of  a  single 

>ak  to  maturity.     And  the  growth  of  mind  must 

v\     ^V^~~^\ 
also  be  gradual;  it  must  result  from  the  same 

/    /y  \  1 

labor  and  toil  that  it  cost  the  hardy  old  Greek 

who  wrote /the  Iliad,  cen/uries  ago.  "The  path 
which  lesKls  to  the  mount  of  science  does  not  lie 
among  flowers ;  and  he  who  travels  it,  must 
climb  the  cplfl  hill-side ;  he  must  have  his  feet 
cut  by  the  pointed  rocks,  he  must  faint  in  the 
dark^valley,  he  must  not  seldom  have  his  rest  at 
midnight  on  the  desert  sand.  It  is  no  small 
thing  for  which  the  true  scholar  strives."  The 
oak,  that  king  of  the  forest  which  has  braved 
the  storms  of  a  century,  as  we  have  intimated, 
grows  as  slowly  now  as  when  the  earth  was 
young.  But  the  mushroom,  now  as  then,  grows 


STUDY   AND   RECITATION.  107 

up  in  a  single  night.  And  may  we  not  conclude, 
judging  from  our  diluted  literature  and  simplified 
text-books,  from  perverted  public  opinion  and 
prevailing  false  theories,  that  this  vegetable  pro- 
duction, the  mushroom,  has  been  transplanted 
into  our  educational  garden. 

But  would  it  not  be  bettor  to  make  fewer 
books  and  more  men  f  And  if  we  would  make 
men,  we  must  lead  our  pupils  to  self-application 
and  self-sacrifice.  Thay  must  not  be  idle,  pas- 
sive listeners  to  oral  instruction ;  they  must 
recite,  and  not  be  examined. 

"  LABOR  is  life !    'T  is  the  still  water  faileth ; 
Idleness  ever  despaireth,  bewaileth  ; 
Keep  the  watch  wound,  for  the  dark  rust  assaileth ; 
Flowers  droop  and  die  in  the  stillness  of  noon." 

The  teacher  cannot  help  the  pupil  recite,  any 
more  than  he  can  help  him  study ;  he  cannot 
study  for  him,  any  more  than  he  can  digest  his 
dinner.  The  prevailing  impression  that  teachers 
and  text-books  can  do  for  the  scholar  the  most 
of  his  studying  and  reciting,  is  both  false  and 
ruinous.  In  the  simplified,  popular  text-books 
of  our  day,  we  find  not  only  many  useless  expla- 


108  STUDY  AND   RECITATION. 

nations  to  save  labor  in  learning  the  lesson,  but 
numerous  questions  to  aid  the  pupil  in  reciting, 
and  thus  a  strong  temptation  is  held  out  to  induce 
idleness  or  play  rather  than  to  encourage  study. 
It  must  be,  after  all  that  has  been  said  to  the 
contrary,  that  "  education  is  a  royal  road,"  and 
modern  scholars  prefer  to  ride  rather  than  to 
•walk.  And  even  then,  their  course  must  be 
easy  and  rapid.  We  assure  them  that  they  are 
carried  in  the  wrong  direction,  but  their  con- 
veyance is  very  comfortable  and  seems  to  be 
taking  them  somewhere  very  fast !  It  is  a  seri- 
ous fact  that  many  of  our  teachers  attach  no 
importance  to  recitations  as  a  means  of  discipline, 
but  regard  them  merely  as  way  marks  to  some 
imaginary  goal.  As  a  result,  the  pupils  fail  to 
appreciate  the  importance  of  recitation  or  study; 
they  regard  them  as  mere  mechanical  processes 
which  seem  necessary  "  to  get  through  the  book," 
"  to  complete  the  course,"  "  to  finish  their  educa- 
tion" and  "to  get  a  diploma." 

The  standard  of  scholarship  and  amount  of 
study  in  the  class,  are  ordinarily  measured  by 


STUDY  AND   RECITATION.  109 

the  thoroughness  of  the  recitation  and  the  actual 
requirements  of  the  teacher.  Pupils  will  do  no 
more  than  necessary  to  perform  the  assigned 
task.  If  they  know  that  the  hour  for  recitation 
is  to  be  occupied  by  a  familiar  lecture,  they  will 
be  prepared  to  hear  simply.  If  they  expect  to 
be  examined  by  the  use  of  questions,  they  will 
come  to  the  recitation-room  prepared  for  the 
pumping  process.  But  let  them  know  that  they 
must  recite  their  owu  lessons,  and  they,  will 
come  prepared  to  do  so,  and  will  have  the 
benefit  of  faithful  study  and  accurate  recitation. 
Not  one  scholar  in  twenty,  when  he  leaves 
the  common  school,  knows  how  to  study,  and 
they  are  fortunate  who  acquire  that  habit  in  the 
early  stages  of  their  academic  training.  The 
fault  is  usually  with  the  instructor  and  results 
not  unfrequently,  from  a  want  of  severity  in 
requiring  and  conducting  recitation.  A  stream 
does  not  rise  higher  than  its  fountain.  If  the 
teacher  is  superficial,  the  scholar  will  be  so ;  if 
he  is  accurate  and  severe,  the  whole  tendency 
of  his  influence  will  be  to  create  a  love  for  study, 
10* 


110  STUDY   AND   RECITATION. 

an  interest  and  enthusiasm  in  the  exercises  of 
the  school,  and  as  a  result,  habits  of  close  appli- 
cation. This  is  the  first  great  object  to  be 
secured.  When  the  scholar  has  gained  the 
power  to  apply  his  mind  closely  and  for  a  long 
time,  to  a  single  subject,  he  is  half  educated ; 
•without  this  power,  little  or  nothing  can  be 
accomplished.  Let  the  instructor  aim,  there- 
fore, to  teach  his  pupils  hoiv  to  study. 

But  how  shall  we  apply  these  suggestions  to 
practical  school-keeping,  and  what  may  we  ex- 
pect as  results  of  the  system  of  instruction  here 
recommended  ?  * 

In  making  the  application,  we  will  first  bring 
before  their  teacher,  a  class  of  mere  children. 
They  have  come  fresh  from  the  studies  and  reci- 
tations of  home-life.  Timid  and  fearful,  they 
are  now  to  come  under  the  restraints  and  dis- 
cipline of  school.  The  change  is  great  and 
important,  and  the  danger  is  that  here  their 
childish  enthusiasm  will  be  chilled,  and  their 
love  of  knowledge  and  habit  of  recitation  de- 
stroyed. To  overcome  this  timidity  and  make 


STUDY  AND   RECITATION.  Ill 

them  feel  at  home  in  their  new  position,  the 
teacher  should  entertain  them  by  pleasant  and 
familiar  conversation ;  to  keep  alive  their  interest 
in  surrounding  objects  and  passing  events,  and 
to  cultivate  still  more  their  conversational  powers, 
he  should  require  them,  at  every  recitation,  to 
rehearse  their  little  stories  or  to  communicate 
interesting  facts  that  have  come  under  their  own 
observation.  Each  should  be  provided  with 
slate  and  pencil,  so  that  his  leisure  hours  may 
be  occupied  in  drawing  forms  and  figures  under 
the  direction  of  his  instructor. 

Children  are  not  in  school  simply  to  learn 
their  A  B  C's.  [They  are  more  often  sent 
there,  because  they  are  troublesome  at  home  !  ] 
But  to  learn  to  read  is  one  object  of  the  pri- 
mary school,  and  it  is  very  important  that 
correct  instruction  be  given  to  this  class  of 
children. 

The  "nature  and  power  of  letters"  composing 
the  alphabet,  must  first  be  understood ;  not  by 
learning  their  names  in  the  order  in  which  they 
are  arranged,  but  by  selecting  the  more  familiar 


112  STUDY  AND   RECITATION. 

forms,  such  as  can  be  made  to  mean  something, 
and  at  once  to  interest  the  learner. 

For  instance,  let  the  teacher  draw  upon  the 
black-board  the  letter  0,  with  a  view  to  instruct 
his  class  as  to  the  meaning  and  use  of  it.  This 
letter  is  of  the  same  form  as  the  boy's  hoop,  or 
the  girl's  ring,  and  resembles  also  the  shape  of 
the  mouth  when  it  sounds  0.  Children  some- 
times speak  it,  when  something  hurts  or  pleases 
them,  to  express  their  feelings,  but  when  not 
used  alone,  it  represents  a  sound  merely.  Here 
let  the  class  individually  draw  the  letter  upon 
the  board  or  slate,  and  give  and  repeat  its  vari- 
ous sounds  until  its  form  and  uses  are  completely 
understood.  Next,  let  the  letter  I  be  drawn  in 
the  same  way,  and  its  form,  use,  nature  and 
power  be  explained  as  before.  I  sounds  like 
eye,  but  does  not  look  like  it,  nor  mean  the  same. 
I  is  used  by  the  child  speaking,  to  represent 
himself ;  eye  is  the  organ  to  see  with.  I  (or  i, 
as  sometimes  written)  when  not  used  by  itself, 
represents  a  sound.  The  children  should  now 
be  required  to  write  the  character  and  give  its 


STUDY  AND   RECITATION.  113 

sounds  until  perfectly  familiar  with  it.  As  a 
third  example,  S  may  be  drawn.  0  is  round,  I 
is  straight  and  S  is  crooked.  Its  peculiar  form 
and  sound  should  be  made  familiar  to  the  chil- 
dren. In  this  way  positive  attainments  are 
made,  and  the  class  are  prepared  for  another 
step  in  their  course,  viz.,  the  combination  of 
letters  into  syllables. 

S  placed  before  I,  gives  SI ;  before  0,  gives 
SO  ;  placed  after,  we  have  IS  and  OS.  Here 
let  all  the  sounds  of  these  vowels  be  expressed 
and  many  times  repeated  by  the  class.  This 
will  not  only  give  familiarity  with  the  sounds 
and  forms  as  items  of  useful  knowledge,  but  also 
cultivate  the  vocal  organs.  It  is  recitation. 

The  next  step  in  this  process  is  to  form  sylla- 
bles into  words  which  express  ideas.  In  doing 
this,  the  instructor  should  aim  to  select  those 
words  with  which  the  children  are  most  familiar, 
and  the  objects  in  which  they  are  most  interested. 
And  with  every  recitation  they  should  be  required 
to  give,  in  their  own  language,  a  description  of 
these  objects,  their  forms  and  uses.  If  the 


114  STUDY   AND   RECITATION. 

names  of  animals  constitute  the  lesson,  let  them 
describe  their  character,  habits,  etc.  And  to 
carry  out  this  system  of  instruction  and  its 
application,  we  will  suppose  our  class  have 
made  sufficient  progress  to  read  readily  and 
understandingly.  Now,  at  every  lesson,  the 
elementary  principles  should  be  reviewed  and 
applied,  and  the  habit  of  reciting  continued. 
After  a  portion  of  the  lesson  has  been  read  dis- 
tinctly and  correctly,  the  books  should  be  closed 
and  the  members  of  the  class  called  upon  to 
recite  what  they  have  learned  by  reading. 
Whether  it  is  a  description  or  a  story,  the 
abstract  should  be  expressed  in  their  own  lan- 
guage. In  this  way  the  mind  will  become  the 
depository  of  thoughts,  and  the  scholar  will 
acquire  the  ability  to  use  appropriate  language 
in  expressing  them;  school-life  may  thus  be 
made  pastime  for  children,  and  the  school-room 
as  attractive  as  their  play-ground. 

A  recitation  for  mature  pupils  may  here  be 
illustrated  by  an  example.  A  class  of  from  ten 
to  twenty,  of  equal  capacity  and  standing,  are 


STUDY   AND   RECITATION.  115 

seated  in  the  recitation-room.  Each  is  called 
upon  to  recite,  but  not  in  the  order  in  which 
they  are  seated.  He  rises  and  takes  his  position 
so  as  to  address  both  teacher  and  class-mates, 
and  in  a  clear  and  distinct  voice,  communicates 
in  his  own  language,  the  ideas  which  he  has 
acquired  in  the  study  of  his  lesson.  The  class 
give  attention  and  are  called  upon  to  correct 
and  improve  the  recitation  of  each.  After  this, 
the  teacher  asks  questions,  corrects  mistakes  and 
communicates  additional  information  which  all 
are  expected  to  remember,  as  a  part  of  the 
review  for  the  following  day.  At  the  close  of 
the  hoar,  an  appropriate  merit  mark  is  recorded, 
indicating  each  individual's  standing  as  shown 
by  that  recitation. 

The  practical  results  of  the  system  here  rec- 
ommended are  evident.  They  are  manifest  at 
every  step  in  the  course  of  education  and  in 
every  sphere  of  life. 

The  scholar  under  this  kind  of  training,  learns 
to  become  prompt  and  earnest  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duties ;  Ijis  hard  study  and  accurate 


116  STUDY   AND   KECITATION. 

recitation,  give  strength  and  vigor  of  mind  and  a 
consciousness  of  manly  independence  ;  his  habit 
of  criticism  serves  to  form  judgment,  cultivate 
taste  and  give  the  power  of  fixed  attention. 
And  these  are  valuable  attainments,  equally 
important  in  every  profession  and  employment. 
Another  result  of  this  system  is  the  cultivation 
of  the  conversational  powers.  The  constant 
habit  of  giving  expression  to  thoughts,  practiced 
from  early  childhood,  gives  a  free  and  correct 
use  of  language,  the  power  to  clothe  the  con- 
ceptions in  appropriate  words  and  to  utter  them 
•with  fluency  and  elegance.  This  is  a  valuable 
accomplishment,  but  is  rarely  attained  for  the 
want  of  proper  culture. 

This  system  is  equally  adapted  to  form  the 
ready  writer.  Every  recitation  is  either  an 
abstract  or  a  composition,  and  the  daily  practice 
of  rehearsing  his  own  or  the  thoughts  of  others, 
is  the  most  successful  way  for  the  scholar  to 
acquire  fluency  in  the  use  of  his  tongue  or  his 
pen.  Let  the  lesson,  the  description  and  the 
story  which  constitute  the  recitation,  be  fre-° 


STUDY  AND   RECITATION.  117 

quently  written ;  let  this  practice  be  continued 
through  every  stage  of  education,  and  the  exer- 
cise of  writing  compositions  will  no  longer  be 
regarded  as  a  task,  and  all  our  pupils  will 
acquire  this  noble  art,  so  important  in  practical 
life.  And  what  so  well  calculated  to  make 
accurate  observers  and  intelligent  hearers  and 
readers,  as  this  practical  training  by  study  and 
recitation.  Their  minds  become  well  disciplined 
and  logical,  and  are  under  the  control  of  an 
"  iron  will,"  and  this  will  is  directed  by  an 
earnest  spirit.  Such  men  are  prepared  not 
only  to  acquire  knowledge,  but  to  digest  it  and 
make  it  a  part  of  their  own  mental  being.  They 
can  analyze,  classify  and  discriminate,  and  hence 
are  prepared  to  reason,  believe  and  act  for 
themselves. 

Once  more,  it  is  only  by  study  and  recitation 
that  the  public  speaker  can  be  trained  to  do 
honor  to  the  pulpit  or  the  forum.  A  man  is  not 
an  orator  because  he  is  a  sound  scholar,  nor 
because  he  has  the  power  of  declamation.  The 
two  must  be  combined  in  the  same  individual — 
11 


118  STUDY   AND   RECITATION. 

deep  thought  and  elegant  and  earnest  expression. 
The  one  is  the  result  of  faithful  study,  and  the 
other  of  constant  training  from  early  boyhood, 
in  the  practice  of  recitation.  Clay  and  Webster 
failed  in  their  first  attempts  at  public  speaking, 
and  even  Demosthenes  whom  Cicero  pronounced 
"the  most  perfect  of  all  orators,"  was  ridiculed 
when  he  first  appeared  before  an  Athenian 
audience.  He  had  weak  lungs,  a  shrill  voice 
and  defective  enunciation.  To  overcome  these 
obstacles  he  recited  "with  pebbles  in  his  mouth" 
and  upon  the  sea-shore,  amid  the  noise  of  the 
roaring  waves  ;  he  shut  himself  up  "  in  a  sub- 
terranean room"  for  months  together,  for  the 
purpose  of  reciting  "  before  a  mirror,"  that  he 
might  acquire  freedom  of  speech  and  dignity  of 
manner,  and  "he  transcribed  the  history  of 
Thucydides  eight  times  for  the  purpose  of  form- 
ing his  style."  By  study  and  recitation  these 
great  men  became  the  greatest  orators  of  ancient 
and  modern  times.  By  the  same  process,  others 
may  also  acquire  power  and  distinction. 


VII. 

CONCLUDING  REMARKS  TO  TEACHERS. 

THUS,  fellow  teachers,  we  have  aimed  to 
redeem  our  promise  and  present  to  you  very 
briefly,  some  practical  "Hints"  upon  school- 
keeping.  We  trust  you  will  appreciate  our 
motives,  with  however  little  favor  you  may 
regard  our  efforts.  All  that  is  valuable  for 
you  as  teachers,  must  be  learned  either  from 
those  "who  have  borne  the  heat  and  burden  of 
the  day,"  or  from  your  own  experience  in  the 
"wear  and  tear"  of  teaching.  Mere  theory 
and  philosophy  have  no  place  in  the  manage- 
ment and  instruction  of  schools.  The  teacher 
deals  only  with  facts.  He  is  eminently  a  prac- 
tical man,  and  must  take  a  practical,  common- 
sense  view  of  everything.  Besides — 


120  CONCLUDING  REMARKS. 

"Teacher!  to  thyself, 
Thou  hast  assumed  responsibilities 
Of  crushing  weight.    A  mighty,  peerless  work, 
Is  thine.    The  golden  chords  attun'd  by  thee, 
Or  grown  by  thy  neglect,  discordant;  not 
In  time  alone,  but  thro'  the  limitless 
Expanse  of  all  eternity,  shall  throb ; 
And  should  one  note>  which  thou,  by  greater  care, 
More  zealous  labors,  or  by  added  skill, 
Might  now  attune  in  harmony,  be  found 
At  last,  in  dissonance  with  virtue,  truth, 
Or  mental  symmetry,  in  Heaven's  sight, 
Methinks  a  fearful  guilt  will  on  thee  rest. 
Thou  hast  to  do  with  God's  most  noble  work ! 
The  image  fair,  and  likeness  of  Himself ! 
Immortal  mind.    That  emanation  bright 
From  His  Divinity  1    Sole  transfer  made 
To  man,  from  His  own  deathless  nature !    Such, 
Instructor,  is  thy  trust  I    Thus  sacred,  high, 
And  precious,  e'en  beyond  all  finite  pow'r 
To  estimate,  thy  holy  charge !    No  work 
Of  art,  or  finest  mechanism  in  things 
Material,  hath  e'er  so  challenged,  for 
Its  right  discharge,  e'en  the  vast  aggregate 
Of  human  skill." 

Look  well,  then,  to  your  qualifications  for  the 
great  work  which  you  have  undertaken.  Have 
you  as  much  common-sense,  devotion  to  your 
work,  cheerfulness  and  hope,  natural  sympathy 
with  the  young,  aptness  to  teach,  energy  of 
character,  mental  power  and  cultivation,  self- 


CONCLUDING  REMARKS.  121 

respect,  self-control  and  moral  integrity  as  is 
necessary,  to  fit  you  for  your  important  duties  ? 
We  need  the  noblest  order  of  minds  for  this 
work.  We  need  persons  of  ripe,  extensive, 
thorough  scholarship,  persons  of  refined,  elegant 
tastes,  and  high  and  commanding  intellects  ;  but 
they  must  be  individuals  of  perfected  power, 
who  can  communicate  themselves,  as  well  as 
their  learning — individuals  of  profound  impul- 
ses and  burning  sympathies,  who  have  souls  to 
move  the  world.  There  is  an  acknowledged 
want  of  this  kind  of  personal  power,  in  many  of 
our  teachers.  They  may  exhibit  no  prominent 
defects  either  in  character  or  attainments  ;  may, 
indeed,  be  living  editions  o.f  text-books,  capable 
of  patient  elaborations  and  learned  comments  on 
the  subjects  before  them,  but  they  are  destitute 
of  all  vital,  transmissive,  inspiring  influence  ;  no 
virtue  goes  out  of  them,  as  they  mingle  with 
their  scholars ;  they  never  stir  the  deep  foun- 
tains of  their  souls  nor  awaken  in  their  bosoms 
those  lofty  sentiments  that  incite  to  greater 
efforts  and  nobler  deeds.  The  teacher  who 


122  CONCLUDING   REMARKS. 

cannot  rouse  his  pupils  to  think  and  act  for  them- 
selves, who  is  satisfied  to  drag  the  almost  lifeless 
body  of  an  uninterested  class  through  formal 
recitations,  does  not  deserve  the  name  he  bears. 
No  matter  how  great  his  abilities,  or  how  exten- 
sive his  learning,  his  main  work  is  left  undone. 
The  high  office  of  the  teacher  reaches  far  beyond 
the  mere  formalities  of  the  school-room.  "  Where 
acquisition  ends,  the  highest  education  begins ;" 
hence,  the  paramount  aim  of  the  teacher  should 
be  to  cultivate  the  faculties  and  cherish  the 
spirit  of  a  nobler  life.  If  he  possesses  such  a 
power,  an  unconscious  tuition  will  be  felt  upon 
all  around  him  ;  his  spirit  will  have  all  the  glow 
that  imagination  kindles,  and  will  be  filled  with 
impulses  more  stirring  than  chivalry  ever  excited. 
Such  a  spirit  will  consecrate  him  to  his  work, 
and  bear  him  through  his  labors  as  a  glorious 
pastime. 

Now,  fellow  teacher,  the  question  is,  have 
you  these  qualifications  and  this  spirit  ?  If  you 
are  conscious  that  you  do  not  possess  these 
qualities  (in  some  degree  at  least),  and  have 


CONCLUDING   REMARKS.  123 

not  the  power  and  determination  to  acquire 
them,  you  may  safely  conclude  that  you  have 
mistaken  your  calling,  and  should  at  once  relin- 
quish it,  to  engage  in  some  employment  less 
responsible  and  more  congenial  to  your  habits 
and  tastes : 

"  For  woe  to  him  who  brings, 
Or  ignorance  or  recklessness,  to  such^ 
Pursuit!    Let  him  the  rather  dig,  or  beg 
From  door  to  door,  his  daily  food,  and  live 
At  peace  with  God,  and  in  His  sight  absolved, 
Than  tamper  with  expanding  mind;  for  if 
Unsightly  mould,  he  doth  perchance  impart, 
No  pow'r  resides  on  earth,  to  e'er  repair 
The  seemless  havoc  he  hath  wrought.    His  work 
Howe'er  achieved,  whate'er  its  consequent, 
How  done,  is  done  for  aye." 

If,  however,  you  are  conscious  that  you  pos- 
sess the  requisite  qualifications  to  enter  upon 
such  duties,  let  your  aim  be  high.  Determine 
to  elevate  and  honor  your  profession.  Let  no 
opportunity  for  self-culture  pass  unimproved. 
No  teacher  has  already  attained  to  perfection ; 
every  one  should  strive  still  more  to  cultivate 
his  mind  and  heart,  and  to  gain  general  and 
professional  knowledge.  This  should  be  the 


124  CONCLUDING   REMARKS. 

work  of  every  day  of  his  life.  Would  you 
engage  earnestly  in  this  work  of  self-discipline, 
learn  to  make  the  most  of  time. 

Great  wealth  is  not  usually  acquired  by  "  huge 
windfalls,"  but  by  minute  and  careful  accumula- 
tions. The  little  sums  which  many  would  deem 
of  no  importance,  the  pennies  and  half-dollars, 
are  the  item*  which  the  miser  has,  year  by  year, 
collected  and  preserved,  until  he  has  reared  his 
pyramid  of  fortune.  From  the  miser's  success, 
you  may  learn  the  nobler  "  avarice  of  time." 

The  German  critic,  who  learned  to  repeat  the 
Iliad  in  Greek,  had  no  months,  weeks  nor  days 
to  spare  from  professional  labor.  He  employed 
the  minutes  spent  in  passing  from  one  patient's 
door  to  another,  in  his  daily  round  of  duty. 
Dr.  Mason  Good's  translation  of  Lucretius  was 
composed  in  the  streets  of  London,  under  similar 
circumstances.  Dr.  Burney,  the  great  musician, 
acquired  the  French  and  Italian  languages  while 
riding  on  horse-back,  from  place  to  place,  to  give 
his  professional  instructions.  Elihu  Burritt  and 
Hugh  Miller  are  also  illustrious  examples  of 


CONCLUDING  REMARKS.  125 

•what  may  be  accomplished  by  a  proper  use  of 
time,  amid  the  cares  and  labors  of  active  life. 
You  also  should  profit  by  such  economy,  and 
learn  how  to  use  fragments  of  time.  You  should 
"  glean  up  its  golden  dust ;  those  raspings  and 
parings  of  precious  duration,  those  leavings  of 
days  and  remnants  of  hours  which  so  many 
sweep  out  into  the  waste  of  existence,"  and 
employ  them  all  in  study  and  efforts  to  make 
yourselves  better  teachers. 

To  the  same  end,  you  should  learn  to  be 
punctual.  This  is  important,  not  only  in  your 
efforts  for  self-improvement,  but  also  for  your 
success  in  the  management  of  your  school.  As 
a  habit  in  life,  punctuality  is  invaluable.  Some 
always  post  their  letters  a  few  moments  after  the 
mail  has  closed ;  reach  the  wharf  just  in  time  to 
see  the  steamboat  off,  or  the  railroad  depot  just 
in  season  to  hear  the  whistle  of  the  engine, 
already  thundering  by.  By  such  tardiness  much 
time  is  lost  and  much  inconvenience  realized. 
So  in  school-life. 

"A  LITTLE  TOO  LATE,"  will  produce  evils  that 


126  CONCLUDING  REMARKS. 

industry  and  perseverance  cannot  remove ;  will 
waste  precious  moments  that  no  pains  nor  toil 
can  recover.  Be  punctual,  then,  in  every  school- 
duty,  and  also  in  those  personal  duties  that  per- 
tain to  your  own  improvement. 

Method  and  promptitude  are  also  essential  to 
your  improvement  and  success.  They  will  pre- 
vent ctmfusion  and  irregularity.  If  you  have 
no  system,  or  delay  until  to-morrow  what  ought 
to  be  done  to-day,  a  part  of  your  necessary  or 
desirable  work  will  remain  undone  through  the 
week,  through  the  year,  and  through  life.  "A 
time  and  place  for  everything,"  should  be  written 
over  your  door,  engraven  on  your  memory,  and 
wrought  into  your  fixed  habits.  Then,  school- 
duty  will  be  pleasant,  and  will  be  so  performed 
that  much  time  will  be  saved  for  self-culture. 

Again,  we  would  urge  upon  you  the  impor- 
tance of  singleness  of  purpose,  both  as  a  means 
of  success  and  a  duty.  We  do  not  mean  that 
you  should  be  a  "  man  of  one  idea,"  and  know 
nothing  beyond  the  limited  sphere  of  your  own 
profession  ;  but  that  teaching  should  be  the  one 


CONCLUDING   REMARKS.  127 

great  object  before  your  mind,  and  that  you 
should  devote  to  it  your  best  hours  and  your 
best  thoughts,  directly.  Kindred  subjects  de- 
mand a  certain  degree  of  your  attention,  but 
only  so  far  as  they  subserve  to  the  same  pur- 
pose. "  Let  your  profession  be  contemplated 
under  the  similitude  of  a  river,  broad  and  deep, 
but  as  constituted  of  many  lesser  streams,  by 
whose  influence  it  has  been  formed,  and  is  still 
fed."  The  River  should  engross"  your  first 
attention,  and  all  the  smaller  streams  be  so 
directed  as  to  swell  the  main  channel. 

Professional  enthusiasm  is  of  two  kinds ;  the 
one  confines  itself  to  the  technicalities  of  the 
profession,  rejecting  every  other  species  of  dis- 
cipline and  knowledge  as  irrelevant  or  useless  ; 
the  other  seeks  the  fountains  from  which  the 
tributaries  flow,  and  aims  to  turn  everything 
into  the  deep  channel  and  to  guide  even  the 
remotest  streams  of  knowledge  into  the  swelling 
current.  If  you  fully  appreciate  the  greatness 
of  the  work  you  have  undertaken,  you  cannot 
be  diverted  from  your  noble  purpose,  however 


128  CONCLUDING    REMARKS. 

wide  your  range  of  study  and  observation. 
Happy  indeed,  if  pure  science  and  hard  study 
have  trained  your  mind  to  close  and  vigorous 
thought — happy  if  the  material  world  has  en- 
larged your  soul  by  her  lofty  contemplations — 
happy  if  the  classics  have  strengthened  your 
reasoning  powers  and  cultivated  your  taste — 
happy  if  the  Muses  have  warmed  and  exalted 
your  imagination  and  lifted  your  thoughts  to  the 
beautiful  and  sublime  in  Nature  and  Art. 

Then  will  you  be  able  to  draw  from  these 
ample  stores,  means  to  embellish  your  work  and 
honor  your  profession. 

Finally,  enter  upon  your  duties  with  a  full 
conviction  of  their  importance  and  of  your  own 
individual  responsibility.  To  become  an  accom- 
plished teacher,  is  in  itself,  a  purpose  worthy  of 
your  highest  and  noblest  ambition.  You  must 
cherish  this  feeling,  or  you  can  have  no  motive 
to  put  forth  suitable  efforts  to  attain  the  end 
you  have  in  view. 

The  community  is  yet  ungrateful  and  insen- 
sible to  the  importance  of  your  service  ;  hence 


CONCLUDING  REMARKS.  129 

they  offer  you  but  a  meager  compensation,  and 
give  you  but  little  encouragement.  Still  it  is 
true  that  you  "stand  in  the  highest  and  best 
place  that  God  has  ordained  to  man."  It  is 
yours  "  to  form  a  human  soul  to  virtue,  and  to 
enrich  it  with  knowledge — >an  office  inferior 
only  to  creating  power."  You  stand  on  holy 
ground ! 

"0,  then,  be  wise! 

Be  every  measure  of  thy  choice,  to  aid 
In  forming  deathless  intellect,  the  fruit 
Of  earnest  study,  and  of  zealous  care; 
E'en  looking  to  the  boundless  future  of 
Its  destiny.    Thou  may'st  be  popular, 
Perchance,  but  seek  not  popularity 
As  motive-spring  of  any  act,  in  thy 
Profession.    Valiant  be,  and  ever  dare 
To  do  the  right,  tho'  all  the  gathered  hosts 
Of  error  may  oppose.    Then,  if  thou  fail 
On  Earth  thy  well-earned  measure  of  applause 
To  gain,  that  nobler  tribute  from  the  skies, 
'  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant,'  shall 
Thy  glorious  mission  crown." 


VIII. 

OUR  COMMON  SCHOOLS. 

TO  PARENTS. 

THE  education  of  a  young  Prince  or  Princess 
is  regarded  in  royal  governments,  as  an  impor- 
tant matter,  affecting,  as  it  must,  the  welfare  of 
nations.  The  selection  of  a  proper  tutor  for 
such  an  heir  to  the  throne,  always  excites  a 
deep  interest  and  solicitude  throughout  the  king- 
dom or  empire. 

But  we  are  a  Nation  of  Sovereigns,  and  our 
children  all  princes  of  a  future  generation. 
Yet,  with  how  little  comparative  solicitude,  do 
parents  and  teachers  in  our  community,  enter 
upon  the  great  work  of  Education.  How  little 
interest  is  felt  in  the  character  and  success  of 
our  Common  Schools.  How  small  the  capital 
invested  in  school-houses,  apparatus,  books  and 
teachers,  (if  we  may  judge  by  the  amount  paid 


OUR   COMMON   SCHOOLS.  131 

for  their  services.)  And  do  parents  expect  a 
liberal  income  from  this  investment  ?  Would 
they  expect  it  in  any  other  department  of  labor 
or  trade,  under  similar  circumstances  ?  Sup- 
pose the  mechanic,  the  farmer,  or  the  merchant 
should  invest  so  meagerly,  as  a  means  of  carry- 
ing on  his  business,  what  but  a  disgraceful 
failure  would  be  the  result  ?  Yet  there  is  no 
investment  that  pays  so  well  as  the  necessary 
expense  of  a  first  class  district  school ;  a  spa- 
cious, convenient  and  tasteful  house,  a  good 
apparatus  and  suitable  books,  and  a  well  quali- 
fied, efficient  and  expensive  (because  well  quali- 
fied) teacher.  As  a  mere  matter  of  dollars 
and  cents,  we  repeat  it,  no  investment  pays  so 
well. 

Railroad  and  Bank  stock  is  often  below  par. 
Manual  and  mechanical  labor  may,  for  various 
reasons,  fail  of  their  reward.  But  intellectual 
and  moral  culture,  a  sound  and  practical  educa- 
tion for  our  children,  is  always  available ;  is  a 
better  security  against  future  want,  than  any 
amount  of  money  can  be. 


132  OUR  COMMON   SCHOOLS. 

The  great  object  which  every  parent  professes 
to  have  in  view  is  the  welfare  of  his  children. 
He  spends  toilsome  days  and  sleepless  nights 
for  their  support,  protection  and  happiness  while 
yet  under  the  paternal  roof.  And  the  source 
of  his  solicitude  in  regard  to  their  riper  years, 
is  that  they  may  be  well  provided  for  and  "well 
started  in  the  worftb^But  how  often  do  parents 
misjudge  in  this  important  matter,  and  as  a  con- 
sequence, not  oply  waste  their  own  energies  but 

/s^ 

ruin  their  children.  The  choice  usually  lays 
between  the'  accumulation  of  wealth  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  education  of  their  children  on  the 
other,  and  in  a  majority  of  cases,  their  early  edu- 
cation is  neglected  for  the  sake  of  saving  money. 
To  prove  this,  we  n&ye  only  to  refer  to  our 
common  schools,  as  theyv.are.  How  poor  and 
ill^adapted  our  school-houses;  how  destitute  of 
suitable  apparatus  and  books,  a^aboye  sugges- 
ted ;  how  cheap  many  of  the  teachers  employed. 
The  reason  assigned  is  that  "  the  district  is  too 
poor  to  provide  better."  Still  these  parents 
have  erected  comfortable  houses  and  splendid 


OUR   COMMON   SCHOOLS.  133 

barns  ;  have  employed  the  most  efficient  help 
on  their  farms,  and  purchased  the  best  imple- 
ments of  husbandry  in  the  market.  They  are 
not  too  poor  to  provide  well  for  their  animals 
and  the  successful  prosecution  of  their  business, 
but  too  poor  to  educate  their  children  !  Now,  it 
can  be  demonstrated  that  any  family  of  children 
left  in  the  world  with  no  inheritance  but  a  good 
character  and  a  thorough  education,  are  infi^ 
nitely  safer  and  more  /sure  of  an  honorable 
livelihood,  than  with  a /fortune  without  the  ad- 
vantages of  education/  How  often  the  wealth 
accumulated  by  the  industry,  self-denial  and  toil 
of  a  miserly  father,  who  could  not  afford  to  edu- 
cate his  children,  Has  been  squandered  by  his 
ignorant  and  dissipated  sons.  And  how  numer- 
ous the  instances  where  children,  reared  in 
poverty  but  educated  by  the  labor  and  self- 
denial  of  anxious*  parents,  have  risen,  unaided, 
to  stations  of  honor  and  affluence. 

Not  only  so, /but  these  very  children  have 
come  up  to  give/  their  honored  parents  a  liberal 

support,  and  tqi  comfort  them  in  their  declining 
is 

'     i 


134  OUR   COMMON   SCHOOLS. 

years.  These  parents  had  "cast  their  bread 
upon  the  waters,  and  found  it  again  after  many 
days."  Such  results  are  legitimate.  Wealth 
with  ignorance  is  always  a  curse  to  the  young  ; 
poverty  with  education,  always  a  blessing. 

Every  considerate  parent  will  therefore,  make 
the  first  and  most  liberal  outlay  for  the  education 
of  his  children  in  the  common  school.  He  will 
not  be  satisfied  until  the  school  is  provided  with 
every  facility  for  the  greatest  improvement  and 
most  thorough  discipline. 

But  the  necessary  expense  of  a  good  district 
school  is  a  profitable  investment,  not  only  in 
view  of  the  results  upon  the  future  welfare  of 
our  children,  but  in  view  of  the  increased  value 
given  to  real  estate,  in  any  community.  Where- 
ever  the  condition  of  our  schools  is  improved, 
there,  and  in  the  same  proportion,  is  the  value 
of  property  increased.  What  is  a  good  farm 
worth  in  Sodom?  Yet,  the  education  of  our 
children,  in  the  proper  sense  of  that  term,  is  all 
that  can  prevent  any  district  or  neighborhood 
from  becoming  a  Sodom.  How  then,  is  it  pos- 


OUR   COMMON   SCHOOLS.  185 

sible  for  parents  to  manifest  so  little  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  their  schools  ?  Why  bestow  so 
little  care  upon  the  selection  of  teachers  ?  Why 
take  so  little  interest  in  the  school  while  in  ope- 
ration ? 

The  utmost  caution  should  be  exercised  in  the 
selection  of  the  person  to  fill  this  high  office,  but 
when  once  employed,  the  good  of  the  school 
requires  that  he  should  receive  the  encourage- 
ment and  cooperation  of  the  whole  district.  He 
may  not  prove  to  be  as  efficient  as  would  be 
desirable,  still  he  must  be  sustained.  As  long 
as  he  is  allowed  to  hold  the  office  of  teacher, 
parents  have  no  right  to  take  sides  against  him. 
The  influence  of  such  opposition  is  always  des- 
tructive of  good  order,  and  tends  to  foster  a 
spirit  of  rebellion  in  the  school.  Better  sustain 
an  unworthy  teacher  than  encourage  insubordi- 
nation ;  if  he  is  to  be  dismissed,  let  it  be  done 
by  the  parents,  and  not  by  the  pupils. 

But  if  parents  would  cooperate  with  their 
teacher  and  secure  to  their  children  the  benefits 
of  a  goad  school,  they  must  feel  and  manifest  a 


136  OUR   COMMON   SCHOOLS. 

deep  interest  in  its  success.  The  indifference  of 
parents  has  chilled  the  enthusiasm  and  blasted 
the  hopes  of  many  an  earnest  teacher.  When 
he  entered  the  district  his  heart  was  warm  and 
his  hands  strong  for  the  important  work  assigned 
him ;  but  he  found  no  sympathy,  met  with  no 
encouragement,  and  received  little  or  no  atten- 
tion from  his  patrons.  The  children  imbibed 
the  same  spirit  at  home,  and  brought  it  to  the 
school-room.  Compelled  to  toil  on  alone  and 
amid  such  discouragements,  he  gave  up  in  des- 
pair, when,  with  suitable  encouragement,  he 
might  have  been  successful. 
2  Parents  should  always  have  a  mutual  under- 
standing with  their  teacher.  To  this  end,  they 
should  form  an  early  and  intimate  acquaintance 
with  him.  And  while  he  reveals  to  them  his 
views  and  plans  for  the  management  and  instruc- 
tion of  his  school,  they  should  give  assurances  of 
their  willingness  and  determination  to  aid  him  in 
carrying. out  his  measures.  They  should  fre- 
quently visit  his  school.  This  habit  cannot  fail 
to  have  a  favorable  influence  both  upon  the 


OUR  COMMON  -SCHOOLS.  137 

teacher  and  the  pupils.  If  the  practice  should 
become  general  in  -our  community,  the  change 
would  mark  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  common 
school  education,  and  result  in  untold  good. 
Not  only  are  teachers  quickened  to  activity  and 
faithfulness  and  pupils  to  diligence  by  such  visits, 
but  parents  are  enabled  to  gain  more  correct 
views  of  the  progress  of  their  children,  and  the 
efficiency  of  their  instructor,  i 
'f  It  is  the  duty  of  parents,  also,  cheerfully  to 
furnish  all  necessary  books  and  apparatus — not 
under  the  direction  of  interested  book  agents,  but 
when  the  good  of  the  school  requires  it.  All 
scholars  of  the  same  standing  must  have  uniform 
books  in  order  to  be  properly  classified,  and 
sometimes  the  old  should  give  place  to  the  new 
and  improved  books,  for  the  entire  class.  It  is 
admitted,  however,  that  uniformity  is  more  im- 
portant than  change.  Apparatus  is  needed  to  aid 
in  the  explanation  of  principles  and  facts  ;  good 
books,  black-boards,  maps,  globes,  cube-blocks, 
et  cgetera,  are  the  tools  for  our  "  artist,"  and  he 
should  not  be  required  to  work  without  them. ' 
12* 


138  OUR  COMMON   SCHOOLS. 

Again,  parents  should  not  indulge  their  chil- 
dren in  irregular  attendance,  or  withdraw  them 
temporarily  from"  the  school,  except  in  cases  of 
absolute  necessity.  Such  irregularity  is  dis- 
heartening to  the  teacher,  and  injurious  both  to 
the  school  and  the  individual  scholar ;  it  tends 
to  destroy  his  interest  in  the  school  and  his  abil- 
ity to  retain  an  honorable  standing  in  his  classes. 
It  is  the  manifest  duty  of  every  parent,  there- 
fore, to  insist  upon  punctuality  in  attendance 
and  promptness  in  the  discharge  of  every  school 
duty. 

Once  more,  we  may  remark,  parents  should 
never  publicly  censure  the  teacher  for  supposed 
faults.  Too  often  has  he  been  tried,  condemned 
and  executed  without  a  hearing.  A  rebel  chas- 
tised in  school,  has  told  his  grievances  to 
indulgent  parents  at  home  ;  they  believe  his 
exaggerated  story,  manifest  their  sympathy, 
and,  without  stopping  to  learn  the  facts  in 
the  case,  pass  judgment  against  the  teacher. 
Now  the  offended  parties  proceed  to  excite  pre- 
judice, and  create  feeling  in  the  school  and 


OUR   COMMON   SCHOOLS.  139 

district  in  view  of  this  fancied  outrage,  until 
half  the  neighborhood  are  in  open  rebellion 
against  a  faithful  master,  whose  only  fault  is 
that  he  did  not  crush  the  offender  while  in  his 
power.  But  such  sympathy  and  opposition  are 
all  wrong ;  unjust  to  the  teacher,  injurious  to  the 
child  and  ruinous  to  the  school.  The  teacher 
has  a  right,  in  all  cases,  to  demand  a  fair  trial 
before  condemnation,  and  it  is  his  duty  to  main- 
tain supremacy  over  his  school,  at  all  hazards 
and  by  whatever  means  necessary.  If  the  pupil 
or  parent  can  rightfully  interfere,  the  teacher's 
office  is  divested  of  its  power  and  the  school  of 
its  utility. 

£-*Let  parents  consider  well  the  toils  and  hard- 
ships of  the  true  teacher,  and  learn  to  coope- 
rate and  sympathize  with  him ;  let  them  pay 
him  a  fair  compensation  for  his  valuable  services, 
and  render  him  all  needed  encouragement  and 
aid  ;  then  may  they  hope  to  secure  for  them- 
selves, their  children  and  their  country,  the 
lasting  benefits  of  a  thorough  Common  School 
Education, 


140  OUR  COMMON  SCHOOLS. 

TO  PUPILS. 

THE  children  and  youth  in  our  families  and 
common  schools,  have  also  a  deep  interest  in  our 
subject.  Indeed,  the  good  that  may  be  accom- 
plished by  our  educational  system  as  it  is,  and 
the  desirable  improvements  that  should  be  made, 
depend  very  much  upon  the  pupils  themselves. 
The  best  teacher  in  the  nation,  and  the  best 
school-house,  and  the  best  books,  will  not,  neces- 
sarily, make  good  scholars  or  secure  the  desira- 
ble advantages  of  a  good  school.  Those  pupils 
who  choose  to  remain  ignorant,  and  become 
vicious  in  spite  of  instruction,  may  always  suc- 
ceed. If,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  full 
determination  to  learn,  and  a  consciousness  of 
individual  responsibility,  scholars  will  improve 
•with  limited  advantages  and  little  instruction,  or 
with  no  instruction  at  all.  How  many  of  the 
great  and  good  men  of  our  country  have  reached 
the  high  places  of  honor  and  usefulness,  with 
even  less  advantages  than  the  pupils  in  our 
common  schools  at  present  enjoy.  When  young, 


OUR  COMMON   SCHOOLS.  139 

district  in  view  of  this  fancied  outrage,  until 
half  the  neighborhood  are  in  open  rebellion 
against  a  faithful  master,  whose  only  fault  is 
that  he  did  not  crush  the  offender  while  in  his 
power.  But  such  sympathy  and  opposition  are 
all  wrong ;  unjust  to  the  teacher,  injurious  to  the 
child  and  ruinous  to  the  school.  The  teacher 
has  a  right,  in  all  cases,  to  demand  a  fair  trial 
before  condemnation,  and  it  is  his  duty  to  main- 
tain supremacy  over  his  school,  at  all  hazards 
and  by  whatever  means  necessary.  If  the  pupil 
or  parent  can  rightfully  interfere,  the  teacher's 
office  is  divested  of  its  power  and  the  school  of 
its  utility. 

Let  parents  consider  well  the  toils  and  hard- 
ships of  the  true  teacher,  and  learn  to  coope- 
rate and  sympathize  with  him ;  let  them  pay 
him  a  fair  compensation  for  his  valuable  services, 
and  render  him  all  needed  encouragement  and 
aid  ;  then  may  they  hope  to  secure  for  them- 
selves, their  children  and  their  country,  the 
lasting  benefits  of  a  thorough  Common  School 
Education, 


140  OUR  COMMON   SCHOOLS. 

TO  PUPILS. 

THE  children  and  youth  in  our  families  and 
common  schools,  have  also  a  deep  interest  in  our 
subject.  Indeed,  the  good  that  may  be  accom- 
plished by  our  educational  system  as  it  is,  and 
the  desirable  improvements  that  should  be  made, 
depend  very  much  upon  the  pupils  themselves. 
The  best  teacher  in  the  nation,  and  the  best 
school-house,  and  the  best  books,  will  not,  neces- 
sarily, make  good  scholars  or  secure  the  desira- 
ble advantages  of  a  good  school.  Those  pupils 
who  choose  to  remain  ignorant,  and  become 
vicious  in  spite  of  instruction,  may  always  suc- 
ceed. If,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  full 
determination  to  learn,  and  a  consciousness  of 
individual  responsibility,  scholars  will  improve 
with  limited  advantages  and  little  instruction,  or 
with  no  instruction  at  all.  How  many  of  the 
great  and  good  men  of  our  country  have  reached 
the  high  places  of  honor  and  usefulness,  with 
even  less  advantages  than  the  pupils  in  our 
common  schools  at  present  enjoy.  When  young, 


OUR  COMMON   SCHOOLS.  141 

they  felt  the  importance  of  self-reliance  and  per- 
severance, which  alone  can  insure  improvement 
and  give  success  under  any  circumstances.  By 
industry,  economy  and  laborious  effort,  they  sur- 
mounted every  obstacle  and  gained  the  desired 
object.  Whether  the  school  shall  be  good  or 
bad,  depends  as  much  upon  the  scholars  as 
the  teacher.  It  must  follow,  therefore,  that 
there  are  mutual  and  reciprocal  duties  to  be 
performed.  Not  a  child  nor  a  youth  attends 
our  Summer  or  Winter  schools  who  is  not,  in  a 
measure  responsible  for  the  good  or  bad  results 
of  the  teacher's  efforts ;  who  has  not  power  to 
aid  in  improving  and  elevating  the  school,  or  in 
rendering  it  worse  than  useless.  The  pupils 
have  not  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  teacher  or 
parents,  but  those  peculiar  to  their  own  sphere 
and  within  the  reach  of  their  own  ability. 

How  then,  shall  they  be  qualified  to  act  their 
part?  We  answer — first,  they  must  improve 
all  their  time  and  opportunities  to  the  best 
advantage.  The  minutes  gathered  up  from  the 
strand  of  youth,  are  indeed  the  golden  sands  in 


142  OUR   COMMON   SCHOOLS. 

the  hour-glass  of  life.  Will  our  pupils  allow  them 
to  run  out  in  indolence  or  folly  ?  If  so,  man- 
hood will  become  a  barren  waste,  or  a  frightful 
desert.  This  is  true  when  applied  to  intellec- 
tual improvement.  With  diligence  and  perse- 
verance, any  youth  in  our  common  schools  may 
become  a  good  scholar ;  may  acquire  a  substan- 
tial, thorough  education,  sufficient  for  all  the 
ordinary  pursuits  of  life.  All  should  aim,  while 
yet  in  the  primary  school,  to  become  good  read- 
ers, writers  and  accountants,  and  to  acquaint 
themselves  with  the  Constitution  of  their  country 
and  the  laws  of  their  moral  being.  If  school- 
houses  are  poor  and  books  ill-adapted ;  if  teach- 
ers are  inefficient  and  parents  indifferent,  pupih 
should  feel  more  interest  and  put  forth  greater 
efforts ;  should  resolve  to  overcome  all  these 
obstacles  and  become  men  and  women  worthy 
of  the  age  and  country  in  which  they  live. 

It  is  important,  also,  that  the  youth  in  our 
schools,  should  realize  the  danger  of  bad  habits. 
Many  suppose  that  it  is  brave  and  manly  to 
disregard  the  authority  of  parents  and  teachers ; 


OUR   COMMON   SCHOOLS.  143 

to  indulge  in  roguery,  dishonesty  and  profanity. 
But  all  such  should  remember  that  the  false, 
vulgar,  wicked  boy,  is  on  the  direct  way  to  a 
useless,  vicious  manhood,  and  a  miserable  old 
age.  Every  act,  thought  and  feeling  of  child- 
hood and  youth,  has  an  influence  in  determin- 
ing what  manhood  shall  be.  School-life  for  the 
pupil,  is  emphatically  a  preparation  for  the 
future ;  the  seed-time  whose  harvest  will  be 
"wheat"  or  "tares,"  joy  or  sorrow,  according 
to  the  seed  which  is  sown.  Pupils  should  act 
from  principle,  and  always  dare  to  do  right.  A 
true  spirit  consists  in  following  the  dictates  of  a 
noble  nature,  and  he  alone  is  a  coward  who  can 
be  shamed  out  of  his  principles. 

And  let  it  not  be  forgotten  that  it  is  the 
teacher's  business  to  govern  and  the  scholar's 
duty  to  obey.  The  relations  they  sustain  to 
each  other  make  this  necessary,  and  all  well 
disposed  scholars  will  aim  to  comply  exactly 
with  the  regulations  of  school.  The  interests  of 
both  teacher  and  pupils  are  the  same.  The  true 
teacher  labors  and  lives  only  for  those  committed 


144  OUR   COMMON   SCHOOLS. 

to  his  care  ;  his  honor  is  in  their  progress,  and 
his  happiness  in  their  highest  good.  Those  who 
disturb  his  plans  or  hinder  his  success,  therefore, 
triumph  in  their  own  defeat  and  glory  in  their 
own  shame. 

Our  common  schools  should  be  the  best  schools 
in  the  town,  county  and  state.  To  secure  this 
object,  not  only  must  good  school-houses  be 
provided,  well  qualified  teachers  employed,  and 
a  deep  interest  felt  by  parents  in  the  welfare 
and  improvement  of  the  school,  but  pupils  must 
be  docile  and  obedient — prompt,  punctual  and 
faithful  in  the  discharge  of  all  their  duties. 
Then  we  should  find  in  our  families  and  commu- 
nity, better  sons  and  daughters,  kinder  brothers 
and  sisters,  truer  friends,  nobler  patriots,  more 
virtuous,  more  devoted,  more  faithful  servants 
of  our  LOUD  JESUS  CHRIST. 


TESTIMONIALS. 


To  WHOM  IT  MAY  CONCERN. — This  may  certify  that  I 
have  read  with  much  interest  and  satisfaction,  a  book  enti- 
tled "Hints  to  Common  School  Teachers,  Parents  and  Pupils ; 
or  Gleanings  from  School-Life  Experience,"  by  Hiram 
Orcutt,  A.  M.,  Principal  of  the  Xorth  Granville  Ladies'  Sem- 
inary, X.  Y.  It  is  the  production  of  a  successful  teacher,  of 
long  experience.  I  regard  it  a  most  excellent  work,  f,.r 
exceeding  anything  of  the  kind  which  I  have  seen.  The 
true  methods  of  management,  discipline  and  instruction 
of  common  schools,  are  clearly  pointed  out  and  the  duties  of 
parents  and  pupils  well  denned.  The  book  is  just  what  its 
author  designed  to  make  it, — cheap,  suggestive  and  practical, 
and  hence  very  valuable  for  every  teacher,  school  committee 
and  parent  in  the  nation.  1JEXJ.  GREEXLEAF, 

Late  Principal  of  the  Bradford  (Mass.)  Academy,  and  Au- 
thor of  a  popular  series  of  Mathematical  Works. 

Bradford,  Mass.,  August,  1838. 


I  believe  Mr.  Orcutt's  "  Gleanings  from  School-Life  Expe- 
rience" are  just  what  the  inexperienced  teacher  needs  to  fore- 
warn him  of  danger,  and  to  prepare  him  to  encounter  suc- 
cessfully the  trials  of  the  school-room.  The  book  is  also 
so  cheap  that  every  teacher  can  afford  to  buy  it;  so  small 
that  he  can  easily  read  it  through ;  and  so  perspicuous  and 
practical  that  he  cannot  fail  to  profit  by  the  perusal. 

LEOXARD  TEXXEY, 
Late  School  Commistwner  in  New  Hampshire. 

Thetford,  August,  1&38. 


TESTIMONIALS. 

NORMAL  IN^TITCTK,  Royalton,  Vt.,  Sept.  1858. 

HIKAM  OKCTTT.  A.  M..  Dear  Sir:  —  The  "  Gleanings"  hare 
come.    I  an;  delighted  v.'irli  it.    First  of  all,  1"  urn  right  glad 
that  you  h:iv<>  had  tin-  moral  coin. 
SMALL  work. 

In  tlieso  days  when  every  man  mu*t  vriti  la.-  book.  »vhcE5ic;- 
he  knows  anything  or  thinks  anything  or  not,  and  that  too, 
a  duodecimo  of  four  hundred  pages,  it  is  rer.lly  refr  Uiing  to 
act  a  little  book  from  a  man  who  has  something  to  say,  im.l 
i'..  ires  sfiy  it  and  stop.  There  is  a  touch  :  d  an 

added  smack  of  classical  antiquity  In  il  prepo--- 

-s  .-  <  one. 

'!'|K  subjccii-  of  the  l>i>.)k   arc  th-  '•  ;  i.ijlitiest  pos- 

nibl'j,  and  presented  in  the  hijrln-sr  n^o^  !  •  <.<'  your  own 
felicitous  style.  It  is  «  fr<:;ii-  work  i>f  utoa,  a/1  full  of  th<- 
1,-rnili  of  life,  oi>.  irhii'hhe  /rh'>  ,-,'icl.<  <iii^nt-i;  '<,  ,  an  Iwrflly  fail 
to  build  a  structure  Iion<mi1>l<  'I*  himstff  .  a.  I 

have    in  i  rod  need  tlic  ))ook  to  my    teacher.'  evi- 

dently pleases  them,  and  I  shall  be  much  uisappo'mted  if  it 
docs  not  proli;  them  equally.  1'ours  with 


Extracts  front  n  l'"u;r  received  from  Pio  •'.  i;;:ou(rB  \V. 
(lAKDXER,  Prin."in-..l  of  Xew  London  Insritntit  n.  and  Sc'm,.i 
Commissioner,  Nev  Loncon,  N.  H. 

"I  thank  you  for  the  sheets  of  your  foi  •  orU. 

I  have  read  them  with  some  care.    It  will  do  good.     I 
glad  to  hear  yon  specie  </-/'  about  some  things,  v.  !,: 
to  meet  stern  rebuke.    Tiii;  chapter  on  'Study  :M 
tion'  is  one  of  great  inter.  .  > 

somethings  not  often  touched  ,-'.pon.    Year  remarks  >;• 
the  '  Lecture  System  '  are  JUM.      I  hav^  .     and  our. 

and  am  ready  to  pronounce  again.-  1  it,  as  mentis  of  cduculiin. 
*    *    *   I  am  persuaded,  as  a  genera!  thine,  twhrrsin]' 
much  ami  require  pupils  to  talk  too  lit/lc." 


TESTIMONIALS. 

"  I  have  road  with  great  pleasure  tin;  closing-  chapters  sent 
mo  since  writing  the  above.  I  am  more  tftan  ever  convinced 
that  it  will  be  a  good  book  and  supply  an  important  place  in 
the  Common  School  Teacher's  wants." 


CHICAGO,  Feb.  28,  1859. 
llui.v.u  OiiciriT,  KSQ.,  Principal  of  North  Granville  Ladies' 

.   Seminary : 

DKAR  »V:i : — \  have  examined  with  much  satisfaction  the 
sucevsMvt  sheets  of  your  "  Gleanings  from  School-Life 
Experience,"  and  take  pleasure  in  commending  the  work  to 
the  favoiablu  regard  of  Teachers  and  other  friends  of  Educa- 
tion. The  views  it  presents  arc  sound  and  practical.  If 
works  of  this  character  were  more  studied  by  Teachers,  our 
schools  would  be  greatly  benefited.  Yours,  very  truly, 

W.  H.  WELLS. 

S-ipt.    ('hi<-t;t;<>    Pitklfi;    »SV/i  <••••.;*  nnd  author  of  a  popular 

'«•    (li'riHi)inrr. 

BOSTON,  Feb.  '-27. 

Prof.  lliKA-M  ("VRIJITTT — My  Dear  Sir:  —  I  have  read  the 
proof  sheets  of  your  admirable  little  volume  entitled  "GU-an- 
riom  Sciir.ol-LilV-  J>cpe:-icncc,"  which  you  had  the 
kmdnf-s  to  f'mvard  to  .  n  Ith  pleasure  as  well  as  profit. 
I  consider  it  a  valuable  c<- nr-butioniothe  educational  litera- 
ture of  the  day,  and  should  be  glad  to  see  it  widely  circulated 
among  Teachers  and  l'...i-ents.  I  rejoice  to  learn  that  its 
merits  have  boon  so  well  appreciated  us  to  make  it  neces? ary 
for  the  publishers  so  soon  to  isoiie  :i  second  edition. 

I  shall  take  great  pleasure  in  commending  it  to  the  atten- 
tion of  persons  connected  with  the  instruction  or  supervision 
of  schools,  confident  that  I  shall  thus  promote  the  interests 
«>f  sound  Christian  education.    I  remain  very  truly  yours, 
JOHN  D.  PHILMUCK, 

Supt,  Boston  Public  School*. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

AT 
LOS  ANGELES 


date  stamped 

1    19*: 


19  1931 


5m-6,'41(3644) 


LB  1025  064h  1859 


L  005  624  750  5 


Education 
library 

LB 
1025 


1859 


